One Thread Pulled
by booklover1004
Summary: That fateful night at Godric's Hollow, Lily Potter survives. With the help of Sirius and Remus she decides to take Harry away from Dumbledore's manipulations and goes to America. Fifteen years later Harry returns to fulfil his destiny. With the help of his friends and family, the Boy Who Lived will fight a very different battle this time. Powerful Harry! Manipulative Dumbledore!
1. Chapter 1

**Hey Guys! So this is my first hp fanfic. I am a huge Harry Potter fan but never considered writing a Harry Potter fanfic until recently. Comments and feedback are appreciated and I hope that you'll like it.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own the Harry Potter series**

 **And now, without further delay, I present:**

 **One Thread Pulled**

 **Chapter 1**

 **The Plans of Albus Dumbledore**

 _30_ _th_ _October, 1981_

Sirius Black was not having a good day. The day had started off as all bad days often do – innocuously enough. He had woken up nursing a slight hangover – undoubtedly due to having a glass too many of Firewhisky at the Leaky Cauldron. Not that he really had a choice in the matter. Witnessing the state of the Longbottoms after Bellatrix's attack was enough to drive anyone to drink. Frank and Alice lay unresponsive, their expression vacant, convulsing occasionally. It had been too horrific for words. The entire sitting room in which the attack had occurred had been charred black. Their son, Neville had thankfully been unharmed. The Longbottoms had had the foresight to ward the nursery with family magic as a result of which Neville had been transported directly to Longbottom Hall the moment the wards had collapsed. He was now in the care of his grandmother Augusta Longbottom. A formidable lady, she had been stoic in her grief of losing her only son and daughter-in-law only a month after her husband's death.

The attack on the Longbottoms had really shaken up Sirius. It had hit him far too close to home for his liking. It had made him even more worried about the Potters. James, Lily and little Harry were also in hiding and seeing the way things were going, it was becoming increasingly likely that Voldemort would attack the Potters soon. His little godson, barely fifteen months old was in danger from the most dangerous lunatic of the wizarding world (though his cousin Bellatrix was a close second).

Just thinking about yesterday's events was enough to send a shiver down Sirius's spine. He had just gulped down a pretty large dose of the hangover potion (the headache was only worsening and the early morning sunlight did not make things much better) when Fawkes entered his London flat and perched himself on Sirius's dining table.

''Fawkes? What on earth is the matter? Did Dumbledore send you?'' asked Sirius worriedly. Had there been another attack? Maybe the Potters this time?

Fawkes just trilled and pulled at Sirius's collar impatiently, disappearing in flames. He reappeared in Dumbledore's office in a ball of flames with a very disgruntled young wizard with him.

Sirius glared balefully at the phoenix. ''You could have warned me, you know.''

Fawkes just trilled in reply and settled in his cage.

''Sirius my boy, how nice of you to come!'' exclaimed Dumbledore. He was wearing lurid pink robes which made Sirius want to wear sunglasses.

''It's not as though I really had a choice in the matter, Headmaster. Though I must admit I am curious as to why you called me so very urgently. Has there been another attack by any chance? Like the Longbottoms? Has any thing happened to James? Remus? Peter? Is anyone injured or has – ''

''Nothing like that my boy,'' said Dumbledore appearing surprising relaxed for someone who had sent a phoenix to kidnap somebody. ''As far as I know your friends are perfectly safe. There have been no attacks and to be honest I don't think that there will be any for some time now. Voldemort will be too busy gloating over the victory over the Longbottoms.''

'' With the help of my cousin no doubt! Bellatrix has tortured them to insanity!'' snarled Sirius. ''Speaking of which, how did the death eaters manage to bypass the wards? Hadn't you yourself set them up? Not that I am blaming you Professor, but how did Voldemort's cronies manage to bypass them?''

Dumbledore raised a placating hand to stop Sirius's tirade. ''It seems that Voldemort had dismantled the wards himself at first and was content to sit back and let his followers wreak havoc. But my dear boy I fear we are getting sidetracked. The attack on Frank and Alice was indeed a terrible tragedy but that it not the reason I called you here. I feel that there are some matters that must be brought to your attention before it is too late.''

''What matters?''

Dumbledore looked terribly grave. ''There is no easy way to say this Sirius but I have reason to believe that Remus has switched sides. It seems that Voldemort has convinced him to join him. Due to Remus' knowledge as both a werewolf and a wizard, he will undoubtedly be a valuable addition.''

''That's preposterous! Remus would never do that! He would rather die first!'' yelled Sirius incensed.

Dumbledore shook his head sadly. ''I understand your denial regarding this, Sirius, but I have got reports from my sources that Remus was seen in deep discussion with Fredrick Greengrass in Knockturn Alley who is a well know death eater. In addition I have evidence in terms of written correspondence between Remus and Avery. I am terribly sorry Sirius, but it seems as though Remus had switched sides.''

Sirius shook his head stubbornly. ''Have you told James or Peter about this Headmaster? What do they have to say about this?''

Dumbledore sighed. ''Alas! I have not got around to informing James about this. I will be telling him about this soon though, probably next week. As for Peter, he is on a mission at the moment and will be back in a couple of days. It seemed more prudent to tell him about this later rather than distracting him from his task at the moment.''

Sirius stood up. ''I think it is best that I take your leave now Headmaster. You have indeed given me a lot to think about.''

''Of course my dear boy, take all the time you need. I understand that it has been a big shock. You will be coming for the order meeting next week, I hope?''

''Yes, I will.'' Said Sirius distractedly and walked out of the office. His mind was spinning. It could not be! Remus could not have switched sides. No, Dumbledore was wrong about Remus and Sirius was going to find out what exactly was going on. He was so lost in his thoughts that he did not see the triumphant glint in the old man's eye as he left.

Dumbledore smiled as the door closed. The plan had gone absolutely flawlessly. Sirius would undoubtedly be shaken up by Remus' betrayal and with James in hiding would come to him for guidance. It would prove to be immensely useful once Orion Black was dead. He would not live long, that was for sure. Not if Dumbledore had anything to do with it. It had been too easy. All it had taken was to substitute Orion's Firewhisky with an undetectable poison by his house elf that had been placed under the Imperius Curse. The poison had been Dumbledore's own creation in his youth with the help of his lover Grindelwald.

If everything went according to plan, the present Lord Black should be dead by Christmas. With Regulus dead, the title would undoubtedly go to Sirius as there was no other male member of the Black family left. The Blacks were a politically well-connected family and it would be of immense help to Dumbledore if he had complete control over the Lord-in-waiting.

Sirius would prove to be malleable once James was out of the picture. Voldemort would undoubtedly kill the Potters tomorrow since Peter had given him the Potters hideout. If everything went according to plan, James and Lily would be dead by tomorrow and if Harry Potter was the child of the prophecy (as Dumbledore was sure he was) he too would be perfectly moldable and become the weapon that Dumbledore intended him to be.

It had been a stroke of genius on his part to insist that Peter Pettigrew become the Potters' secret keeper. Dumbledore had always been aware of the fact that Peter had taken the dark mark in his seventh year. In the beginning, Dumbledore had considered revealing Peter's true colours to everyone. However, he had ultimately decided against it. It might be useful to have a death eater within his ranks. How true it was! It was only due to Peter that Voldemort had got the location of the Potters and would set the prophecy into motion. It could have been Neville Longbottom who was the prophecy child but Frank had been too clever. Why on earth did he have to ward his son's crib? Dumbledore's plan had been so perfect too! The Longbottoms had not used the Fidelus charm. Dumbledore himself had dismantled the wards of the Longbottom property about a week ago and was impatiently waiting as to when the death eaters would act on the 'anonymous tip' given to them.

Anyway, there was no point crying over spilt milk. It was anyway much more likely that Harry was the prophecy child as he had been born after Neville. The prophecy would obviously end with Harry's death (whether that would be tomorrow or not was anyone's guess). He just hoped that James had not warded Harry's crib like Frank had. It would make the entire plan most inconvenient. If by some miracle Harry survived tomorrow, then Dumbledore would make sure that he had the same kind of childhood as Tom Marvolo Riddle did. That was the only way to make him the perfect weapon. And Dumbledore would be the one to finally defeat Voldemort and be hailed as the greatest wizard who lived once again. Which he obviously would as he was the master of the elder wand and the leader of the light.

Now the only thing left would be to convince Remus that it had been Sirius who had betrayed the Potters. Yes, thought Dumbledore. Everything was moving smoothly.

 **Please Review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A huge thank you to everyone who reviewed, followed and favourited the last chapter. You guys are amazing!**

 **Disclaimer: Same as Chapter 1**

 **Chapter 2**

 **The Day Before The Attack**

 _30_ _th_ _October, 1981_

Sirius stumbled out of Hogwarts in a daze, his eyes unseeing. Unknown to him, Dumbledore had cast a mild compulsion spell on him as he had left his office. It was almost as though his mind was in a fog, like thick, gooey treacle. He had wanted to talk to someone hadn't he? A friend? However, for the life of him he could not remember who it was. He barely registered the fact that he was moving in the direction of the Forbidden Forest instead of the castle gates.

By the time he had realized where he was, he was well into the forest. There was a strange stillness to the place. However, it was not peaceful. It was almost as though the entire forest was waiting in anticipation for something to happen. The clattering of hooves made Sirius whirl around only to come face to face with the centaur Firenze. He knew Firenze from his school days. He had helped the Marauders quite a few times in facing the more dangerous creatures of the woods. Sirius would probably go as far as to consider Firenze as a friend – albeit a cryptic and vague one. He was a lot like Xeno Lovegood, the eccentric Ravenclaw who had been a couple of years above Sirius in school.

''Sirius Black, I was not expecting to see you in these parts for many years to come.''

''Yeah. Neither was I expecting to be here myself.'' Muttered Sirius. The last thing he needed at this time was to engage in a cryptic conversation with a centaur although, Firenze wasn't as bad as some of the others.

''Mars shall be bright tonight. It will continue to be so for about two decades more.''

''Well, good for you I guess. Now if you will excuse me, I have some urgent matters to attend to.'' Centaurs and their stupid stargazing.

''There is a war coming Sirius Black. A war like never before. It will wreck havoc in the land and will result in bloodshed and sacrifice. You humans always think yourselves to be so very superior to everyone. Well, let me tell you this – if no steps are taken soon, the entire wizarding world is doomed.''

''And when does your oh-so-very optimistic doomsday come?'' asked Sirius scornfully. Although he was sure that the centaur was being overly dramatic, he could not shake the voice in his head that sounded a lot like his grandfather that centaurs were one of the most intelligent magical creatures – maybe even more so than wizards.

Firenze snorted. ''It would do you well to heed my warning Sirius Black. The centaurs have long kept themselves aloof from the affairs of humans. However, this war affects the magical race as a whole. Hence, my kinsmen sent me to tell you that you will play a pivotal role in this war. As will a young babe who is barely a year old. He is destined for many great things but only if you help in his upbringing. I shall take your leave now. My kinsmen grow impatient for my return.'' Saying so, Firenze galloped into the forest as suddenly as he had appeared leaving a flabbergasted wizard behind.

''Wait! What child? And how on earth will I help in his upbringing?'' yelled Sirius wildly. He got no answer except for the twittering of birds. Firenze had vanished.

''That was very helpful.'' Muttered Sirius. He did not know what to do. There was apparently a war and a child and he had to somehow save the world from doom. This was too much for him to handle alone. He needed help. From someone who could make sense of what had just transpired. Someone like Moony.

Betrayal shot through him like a knife. However, he just could not wrap his mind around the fact that Remus of all people was a traitor. Although he trusted Dumbledore, it seemed too fantastic a thought that Remus of all people would switch loyalties. But how could Dumbledore be wrong? That seemed unbelievable!

The tendrils of the compulsion spell weakened as Sirius made up his mind. He shook his head resolutely. There was only one thing to do. He had to find Remus.

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Sirius apparated to the alleyway besides Remus's flat. He ascended the rickety stairs of the dingy building. James and he had tried to persuade Remus to let them help him get another flat in a better locality but Remus had been resolute. Him and his stubborn pride.

Sirius rapped on the door sharply. He gripped his wand tightly in his hand. In case things got out of hand, it would not be pretty. He did not want to fight Remus but if it was necessary, he would do so. There was a shuffling of feet and the door opened to reveal Remus. His face broke into a wide smile on seeing Sirius.

''Padfoot! Well, this sure is a surprise! Come on in.''

Sirius walked into the flat cautiously. He was torn. On one hand, Remus seemed exactly the way he had always been but he could not get the talk with Dumbledore out of his head.

''I was just making a cup of tea for myself. Would you like one too? Or would you rather have pumpkin juice? I will not offer you butterbeer considering the amount you had to drink last night.'' Remus continued.

''Nothing for me, thanks.'' Said Sirius, suddenly uncomfortable. After all, how does one accuse one's best friend of being a traitor?

''Actually, er- Remus, I came here to ask you something. Something important.''

Remus frowned. ''What is it Padfoot? I have never seen you so very solemn. Is something wrong?''

Sirius took a deep breath. ''I had a meeting with someone today which brought some facts to light and raised a few questions in my mind. I have to ask you something and I want to give me a wizard's oath that you will answer honestly. Can you do that?''

''Of course. Would you like to ask me the question right now?''

Sirius nodded sharply.

''Alright then. I, Remus John Lupin swear on my magic that I will answer the question set forth to me by Sirius Orion Black truthfully to the best of my ability so mote be!''

Magic flashed across the small flat as Remus took the oath.

''Thank you for taking the oath my friend. Now I must ask you. Have you switched sides? Are you now in league with Voldemort?''

Remus' nostrils flared. ''How could you even ask me something like this Sirius? Have you gone mad?''

''Please just answer the question Moony.'' Whispered Sirius, dreading the worst.

''No I am not in league with Voldemort.'' Spat Remus. ''I have never supported him or his ideas and never will. I have not switched sides in the least and I don't know why you of all people should think so. I thought you were my friend, Sirius.''

Sirius let out a breath he had not known he was holding. After all, a wizarding oath was sacred and could not be circumvented. It was one of the reasons why so few wizards ever agreed to take it willingly. ''Oh, thank Merlin!''

''Are you even listening to what I am saying or are you confounded?'' snarled Remus. ''Incase it has slipped your mind, Voldemort is after James, Lily and Harry? You know? Our friends? Also Greyback is part of Voldemort's forces who was the one who had bitten me as a kid in case that had slipped your mind. Why on earth would you think that I had joined that bastard?''

''It was just that Dumbledore had said that –'' said Sirius weakly. He was cursing his stupidity. How on earth could he have doubted Remus for even a second? The fog of the compulsion spell slowly was being lifted from his mind at last.

'' _Dumbledore_ told you this? What nonsense!''

''He said that you had been spotted in Surrey where Greyback was and were in discussion with Fredrick Greengrass in Knockturn Alley.''

''Yes, Sirius I was in Surrey when Greyback was there because I had been _asked_ to be there.'' Said Remus exasperatedly. ''Lily had sent me a letter last week. Her sister lives there and she had asked me to go and check on her as Greyback was in that area. I had gone there to ward Petunia's house in order to put a mild notice-me-not charm on it. As for the meeting with Greengrass, well I had gone there at Cygnus' behest.''

''Cygnus Greengrass?''

''Yes. You know that Fredrick and Cygnus never did get along after Cygnus inherited the lordship and refused to join Voldemort. Cygnus had sent me to give his brother an ultimatum. If Fredrick would continue to support Voldemort, Cygnus would disown him. I was merely the message bearer.''

''But why had Cygnus not gone himself?''

''Because, Sirius, his father had made him swear an oath that he would not seek his brother out after Fredrick turned dark. That was magically binding.''

''So he sent you to retrieve the information on his behalf instead. How very Slytherin of him!''

''Well, he didn't know who else to ask considering that he was probably the only person in Slytherin who was not pro-Voldemort and did not believe in the pure-blood mania of the house. Also, being friends with a bunch of Gryffindors who made it their mission in life to make the lives of all Slytherins in general hell did not help his case. Not that Fredrick was really helpful. He would have cursed me but for the fact that if he cast any spell on me he would be stripped of his own magic. Cygnus had sent the family totem to warn him of this before he considered leading me into an ambush.''

''But Dumbledore must have surely known this! He must have known why you had met with Greengrass and gone to Surrey.''

''Of course he did! I had told him so myself!'' exclaimed Remus.

''But then why would he lie? It makes no sense!'' said Sirius dazedly. He could feel himself trying to fight something similar to the Imperius curse. He felt exhausted and sick. He swayed on his feet.

''Padfoot, are you alright?'' asked Remus worriedly.

''I-I think I need to sit down.'' Beads of sweat trickled down his brow as he tried to fight the compulsion spell.

''Of course.'' Said Remus, helping him to the couch. Sirius sank down gratefully, shutting his eyes.

''Do you mind if I cast a diagnostic spell on you?''

''Go ahead.'' Said Sirius weakly.

'' _Aestimare Sanitatem''_ The spell flashed to reveal a sickly yellow aura surrounding Sirius.

''Dear Merlin!'' gasped Remus. ''Tell me Sirius, apart from Dumbledore did you meet anyone else today?''

''No, only him. Why? What happened?''

''A compulsion spell has been cast on you.'' Said Remus grimly. "One which is supposed to strengthen with time. However, it seems as though you have been fighting it for the past few hours. Though to be honest, I am not sure how. It is one of the strongest I have ever seen."

''Wait! Are you telling me that _Dumbledore_ has done this?'' yelped Sirius. ''Merlin's balls! That makes sense! I had argued with him that you could not possibly be a traitor and was fully intending to come to you directly after the meeting but when I walked out of his office, I could not bring myself to come and confront you. It was as though my mind was rebelling against the idea as a whole. Can you remove it?''

''Yes, just a second. _Mens Vacet''_

Sirius sank back with a sigh of relief. ''Much better. It feels as though a heavy fog has just been lifted off my mind. You know, I probably would not have come at all if it was not for my meeting with Firenze.''

''What on earth were you doing in the forest in the first place?''

''No clue. It was almost as though I was being drawn towards it.''

''And what did Firenze say that changed your mind?''

''Something about a war coming and a baby and how the wizarding world would be destroyed.'' Said Sirius dryly. ''I think I should start from the beginning.'' He continued, seeing Remus' flabbergasted face.

''That might be a good idea.''

After Sirius finished the story Remus was stock still. ''Are you absolutely sure that Firenze said that a _baby_ of all people will save us from ruin?''

''To be fair, he did say that Mars would be bright for the next twenty years so maybe it means that the child has to grow up before he is ready.''

''Mars is the Roman God of War, right? Yes. That makes sense. But Merlin, Padfoot! A war in two decades! That is not too far away.''

''Exactly! And I don't know what we should do. Dumbledore is out of the question after today. Though to be honest, I still don't understand why he did what he did to me.''

Remus shifted in his seat. ''I think I might be able to shed some light on that. I just remembered. At an order meeting last month, I felt someone cast a similar compulsion spell on me that you were not to be trusted however, due to me being a werewolf, I could manage to shake it off almost at once. I had wanted to tell you about it but you were on a mission at that time and later on I completely forgot about it. I thought that maybe I had been mistaken and someone on the street had cast it on me – a death eater maybe. But now that I think about it I remember Dumbledore eyeing me very carefully for the next few weeks as if he expected me to come to him with my suspicions about you.''

''That bastard! What on earth could he be trying to accomplish by this?''

''To prevent us from trusting anyone but him, maybe? Let's face it Sirius, you are the heir to a politically well-connected Noble and Ancient House in addition to being a bloody good Auror. It would certainly help Dumbledore to have your complete loyalty and trust. Also, with me being both a werewolf and wizard, he could easily exploit me to better his relations with the werewolf community.''

''And it also helps that you are a damn good wizard too. So now what? We have to tell Prongs and Wormtail about this.''

''Wormtail will be back next week I think; we can talk to him then. As for Prongs, you could probably contact him using the two-way mirrors which you both have.''

''No, they won't work. The Fidelius Charm prevents it. I can only talk to Prongs if he contacts me. Let us hope that is soon. I don't know how long I can keep this a secret.''

''It is unlikely that Dumbledore should suspect anything as long as you give me cold shoulder in public. He cannot read your mind due to your training in Occlumency and I too am safe as my inner wolf would attack anyone who would try to invade mine.''

''Probably the only thing I am thankful to my family for. Are you fine Moony? You look very pale.''

Sure enough, Remus had turned as white as a ghost.

''What is wrong? You look as though you have seen a ghost.''

''I was just thinking,'' whispered Remus, '' what if the baby Firenze mentioned is _Harry_?''

Sirius' rapidly paling face told Remus that he had given voice to the exact thought that Sirius was dreading.

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Lily Potter smiled as she drank in the scene in front of her. It was cold and chilly outside but the fire was crackling merrily in the hearth giving the entire cottage a warm and cosy feel. James was sitting on the floor with Harry in his lap – a model of a Quidditch pitch in front of them. James was certain that Harry would make an excellent Quidditch player when he grew up and after seeing her son tearing around the house on the broomstick that his godfather had given him on his first birthday, she had to agree.

''Mama!'' yelled Harry, squirming in his father's lap beaming up at her. ''Kiddith!''

''He is still not able to pronounce it properly.'' Sighed James melodramatically. ''Quidditch, Harry, Quidditch.''

Harry bobbed his head up and down happily. ''KIDDITH!'' he yelled, waving his hands.

Lily laughed. ''Yes Harry, you will play Quidditch. Maybe you will be a chaser like your dad?''

''I think he will be a seeker.'' Said James proudly. ''He is a natural on the broom Lils, a natural. I have never seen anything like it.''

''Not even your own self?'' teased Lily. ''Though I must say James, he is a little young for you to start explaining the rules of the game to him.''

James' eyes widened comically. ''You can _never_ be too young for Quidditch!''

''Because discussing with your fifteen month old son about the best way to execute a Wronski Feint is completely normal.'' Lily deadpanned.

''You know you have probably lost him Lils,'' teased James. ''It is obvious he loves the game already, don't you, Prongslet?'' Harry nodded enthusiastically.

''I guess all I can do is hope that our daughter takes after me, then,'' laughed Lily, stroking her stomach.

''She will, Lily-flower,'' said James resting his hand on top of hers where their daughter resided. ''She will be as smart and beautiful as her mother with fiery red hair like yours. Though, Harry and I _might_ just manage to convince her that Quidditch is much better than reading books! What do you say Prongslet? Ready to corrupt your little sister?''

But Harry had already lost interest in the conversation and was busy trying to grab James' spectacles.

''Oi! Not my glasses, Prongslet!'' said James trying to duck out of the way. ''Hey! Where did they go?''

''I think Harry has them.'' Said Lily proudly. ''Another bout of accidental magic I suppose.''

Sure enough, Harry was waving James' glasses in his hand, happily playing with them.

''This is the fourth time this week.'' Said James, shaking his head. ''What did I tell you? He is a born seeker. Minnie will have her hands full when Harry joins Hogwarts that's for sure.''

''If he is anything like how you were in your first year, I pity Minerva.''

''Oh, she will survive.'' Smiled James. ''If she could handle four of us at the same time, I doubt she will have much trouble handling Harry.''

''Not if he is trained by the four of you.'' Lily retorted.

''That won't happen. I assure you. After all, someone has to teach little Elizabeth the tricks of the trade too.''

''Elizabeth?''

''I thought that was a good name,'' said James sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. ''However,'' he continued hurriedly, '' you don't _have_ to name her that. We can choose another name. After all-''

Lily cut him off with a kiss. ''I think it is perfect. Elizabeth Dorea Potter. I like that.''

''Dorea as a middle name,'' echoed James, his eyes suspiciously glassy.

''Yes, Dorea as her middle name.'' said Lily firmly. ''After your mother. It is only right. Maybe we can make Remus godfather this time.''

The fire crackled merrily in the grate as the little family of three sat in front of the fire contentedly, Lily and James snuggled up on the couch, with Harry playing with James' spectacles unaware of what was going to come all too soon. None of them could have imagined that their little family would be ripped apart the next day. As of now, all was well.

 **So that was chapter 2 guys! I hope you'll liked it!**

 **All the spells that are not from the books are just plain Latin. (Thank god for google translate!)**

 **See you in a few days time and please do review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: Same as Chapter 1**

 **Chapter 3**

 **The Attack and The Aftermath**

Godric's Hollow was a quaint little village. It was one of the few villages in Britain with a complete magical population. On the occasion of Halloween, the houses were all lit up with lights and charmed jack-o-lanterns that could talk. Children of all ages thronged the streets going trick-or-treating. Bats hung upside down from cottages, scaring children periodically if their delighted shrieks were anything to go by. The atmosphere was relaxed and children's laughter rang out in the lanes.

It was almost as if they were unaware of the fact that a war was going on. Thought Voldemort bemused. He had never understood how people indulged in these yearly frivolities when there was so much more that could be done – like getting power and knowledge. Though, to be honest, Slughorn had presented him his path to immortality during the holiday season so he guessed that that the holidays did have their benefits. That old fool had not even realized his true potential as a student. As a matter of fact, hardly any of the teachers had, except for Albus Dumbledore.

He had been careful to keep his true self hidden throughout his school life from everyone. He had self-taught himself Occlumency, Parselmouth and had discovered the way to make himself immortal. There had been no need to reveal the extent of his powers. His time in the orphanage had taught him _that_ just as it had taught him that the only way to make people respect and admire you was by instilling fear in them. The wizarding world as a whole had opened many new vistas for him but at the same time had sickened him with their blatant acceptance for people with non-magical parents and upbringing.

After finding out his own roots, he had become all the more clear that the only way for the magical world to move forward was by eradicating all the people of inferior blood. This ideology had been readily accepted by most of his classmates in Slytherin and the fact that he would kill anyone who would stand in his way, only increased his charisma. The people flocked to him, believing that he was the solution to all their problems and lapped up his ideology. It had not been all smooth sailing though. There were some people who opposed him mainly led by Albus Dumbledore but it was not difficult to deal with them appropriately. The killing curse was after all, most effective.

He was brought out of his musings by a small boy bumping into him.

''Sorry mister,'' he said politely. He was dressed as a vampire – down to the pale complexion and pointed teeth. It would have been so very easy to kill him with just a flick of his wand however; there was no need for that. There would be plenty of bloodshed very soon.

Voldemort continued down the street to the Potters' house. It had been a stroke of luck that Peter Pettigrew had been made their secret keeper. He remembered the delight with which the sniveling rat had come to tell him the news. From what he had heard, Harry Potter was showing incredible magical prowess at the tender age of fifteen months. Not that it really mattered. Some accidental magic of a baby was going to hardly leave a dent on him.

The little cottage invited him beckoningly over. He could see the mudblood with the baby on her lap as her husband was making multicolored bubbles come out of his wand that the boy was trying to catch with his chubby fists. The Potters had been an old and powerful family. He would have preferred that they join him but since they had refused, he had to kill them. After all, no one refused him anything without suffering the consequences. The brat was now shrieking with laughter as his blood traitor father charmed the bubbles to whiz around the room. The boy represented everything that he had missed in his own childhood. Everything he had longed for as a child, everything that he had been denied. Not that it would remain this way for long, he thought, his eyes narrowed in malice. It was time to kill the boy who was supposedly having the power to defeat him.

A quick blasting curse tore the door from its hinges. He could hear Potter asking his wife to run away and that he would hold him off! He laughed with delight. Hold him off! As if he could! James Potter didn't even have his wand with him!

''Avada Kedavra!'' he snarled and with satisfaction watched the dark haired wizard crumple like a ragdoll onto the floor.

He continued up the stairs like a predator stalking its prey. There was no escape now. The boy would be killed. The mudblood and her son were in the nursery. Another blasting curse severed the door from its hinges with a crash. The witch was terrified. Her white face said it all. She tried to shield her son's crib with her body.

''Please, not Harry, I am begging you. Kill me instead.'' She begged, tears streaming down her cheeks. ''Please, I will do anything."

Voldemort cocked his head to one side. He remembered Severus begging him to spare Lily Potter's life and to be honest he was feeling pretty merciful at the moment. The witch didn't even have her wand. James Potter was dead. There was nothing else separating him from the boy but her. A cutting curse would easily incapacitate the woman. Or maybe a blasting hex?

''Reducto!'' he said almost lazily and watched as the red haired witch was thrown against the wall and lay still. The crib too had been thrown to the opposite wall and had been splintered with the force of the hex.

He approached the cradle. The boy was there staring at him with curious green eyes the same color as the killing curse. How very ironic. The boy looked at him curiously, those green eyes seemed to bore into him. He started whimpering on seeing the wand in his hand, almost as though he knew that death was near.

''Avada Kedavra!'' snarled Voldemort maliciously, his wand pointing at the boy's forehead. However, the curse did not hit its mark. A blue shield enveloped the baby's body deflecting the curse. Voldemort could not do anything but watch as the sickly green light sped towards him and then he knew no more.

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Sirius Black could not shake off the feeling that something was very wrong. Ever since his talk with Remus yesterday, he could not stop feeling that something was going to happen to the Potters. Dumbledore's manipulations only reinforced that. Maybe a stroll in Godric's Hollow would alleviate his worries. Although he would not be able to go to the house, he would be able to see that everything was fine in that area.

His mind made up, Sirius apparated to Godric's Hollow. He arrived at the village square, just in time to hear an unearthly shriek followed by a black shape speed over him from the direction of the little cottage where the Potters lived. A cold feeling trickled down Sirius' spine. How did he know that the Potter's house was in that direction? It could only mean one thing. – the Fidelus charm had broken. He broke into a run in the direction of the little cottage.

The sight that greeted him made his blood run cold. The little cottage was in shambles – the entire place reeking of dark magic. The roof was charred black and at the doorstep lay James, his eyes open and unseeing. His arms were stretched out almost as though he was trying to stop someone from entering. Bile rose up in Sirius' throat. He dashed into the house.

''Harry! Lily! Is anyone there?'' he screamed.

Silence greeted him. The walls of the cottage had scorch marks on them leading all the way upstairs. They led to the nursery. 'No,' thought Sirius. 'Please let Harry and Lily be alive.'

The sound of a baby crying gave him hope. He ran into the nursery to see Harry wailing in his crib with his forehead streaked with blood. Lily lay unconscious on the floor. Relief coursed through him.

''Hey, it will be alright, Prongslet,'' he whispered, picking up his godson from the shambles of what used to be his crib and gently wiping his forehead. ''Everything will be fine. I am here now.''

He knelt down next to Lily and to his shock saw her abdomen stained red. He checked her and was relieved to find that she still had a slight pulse.

''Ennervate,'' he whispered and heaved a sigh of relief as her eyes fluttered open.

''Sirius? What are you doing here? Where is James?''

''Lily, oh thank Merlin! You are alive!''

''What happened?''

''Don't you remember anything at all?'' asked Sirius, desperately.

Lily shook her head groggily as though trying to clear her head. ''V-V-Voldemort attacked us Sirius,'' she said tearfully. ''W-we did not expect it in the least. When he came J-J-James tried to hold him off and asked me to run. But he was too powerful. He came up here when I was trying to protect Harry and sent a blasting curse at me which made me crash into the wall. I don't remember anything after that. Tell me, is James d-d-dead?''

"I am so very sorry,'' whispered Sirius sorrowfully.

"Harry, where is Harry?'' asked Lily frantically.

''Mama,'' sobbed Harry from Sirius' arms.

Lily sagged with relief and crushed Harry to her chest. "Thank Merlin he is okay. I don't know what I would have done if I had lost him too.''

The sound of someone apparating jerked the three of them out of their reverie.

"We must leave at once Lily,'' said Sirius urgently. "We can't wait."

"It must be someone to help us Sirius. Probably someone sent by Dumbledore."

"Exactly why we must leave now. Please, Lily I promise you that I will explain everything to you later but for now you have to trust me."

"But where shall we go? Potter Manor was destroyed in the Death Eater raid last year."

"To my flat. I have put wards around it just yesterday to keep out unwanted visitors. No one will be able to find us." Saying so, Sirius grabbed hold of both Lily and Harry and apparated them away.

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The three of them landed in Sirius' flat with a jerk. Sirius swayed on his feet. Apparating three people at the same time was very draining.

"Sit down Sirius,'' ordered Lily. "You look ready to pass out."

"Shouldn't I be the one telling you that Lily? After all you are the one who is injured.''

"What do you mean?"

Sirius gestured to her stomach which was now soaked in blood.

"NO!" sobbed Lily, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Not Elizabeth too!"

Harry too started wailing on seeing his mother so upset.

"Let me see what I can do." Said Sirius soothingly. He cast a diagnostic spell on Lily. A pink glow surrounded her. "Well, the baby is still alive, but that might quickly deteriorate. You lost a lot of blood Lily, when you were attacked. You need to see a healer. However, that might be difficult as you should be on complete bed rest as any sudden movement such as flooing or apparition might further harm the baby. The best that I can do is give you a blood replenishing potion for now. That should help make up for the blood loss. As for the internal bleeding, _Et Sanguinem Sistit!"_ said Sirius waving his wand. _"_ That should stop it."

"Thank you Sirius," Lily whispered.

"No problem at all." Smiled Sirius, patting her shoulder. "Now let me ask Moony if he as the blood replenishing potion with him."

The fireplace flared at that instant.

"Padfoot, are you there?'' asked a distant voice.

''Moony! Thank Merlin!'' sighed Sirius in relief. ''Come here at once. We need your help."

"Not now, Padfoot. The Potters have been attacked. James is dead and Harry and Lily are missing. The Order is in chaos and no one knows what has to be done."

"That's exactly why I am calling you, you prat! Now come over here at once and bring a blood replenishing potion and a calming draught as well." Snapped Sirius. At that time he looked exactly like the Auror who had killed twenty death eaters in combat. He was a fearsome sight.

The fire flared again as Remus stepped through. His eyes widened on seeing a bloodstained Lily and a wailing Harry. "Good God, Sirius, what on earth happened?'' he asked kneeling down next to Lily to give her the potions.

"Voldemort happened." Said Sirius grimly. He told Remus all that had transpired at Godric's Hollow.

"It was a good thing that you got them out of there." Said Remus. "If Dumbledore would have got his hands on Harry, it might have been much worse."

"What is wrong with both of you?" snapped Lily. The color had returned to her cheeks after taking the potions. "Why are you so very against Dumbledore? What wrong has he done?"

Remus rubbed his neck worriedly. "Lily, I know this might be difficult to hear, but we have realized just recently that Dumbledore is not all that he seems to be. In fact, he has tried to manipulate us both in more ways than one."

"I don't believe you." Said Lily stubbornly. "My husband is dead, my unborn daughter might very well be so too and you are now telling me that _Dumbledore_ of all people is untrustworthy! Do you know how absurd this sounds?"

"Please Lily, let us explain." Begged Sirius. "Just listen to us and if you still don't believe us and want to leave, I swear on my magic that neither Remus nor I will stop you."

Lily was silent as magic flashed around the room acknowledging Sirius' oath.

"Alright, then. Tell me the whole story."

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Albus Dumbledore was enraged. He could not believe it! James Potter was dead and Lily and Harry had disappeared into thin air. The Aurors he had sent (after an 'innocent suggestion' to the minister) had come back empty-handed only to report that the little cottage was empty save for the body of James Potter lying spread-eagle on the floor. It seemed as though a dark spell had rebounded on Voldemort when he had tried to attack someone (he strongly suspected it was Harry) which had led to his destruction. However, Dumbledore was not convinced.

He knew that Voldemort had made hocruxes – more than one in fact. It was therefore impossible that he was gone for good. Somehow, Harry Potter had managed to protect himself and his mother from the darkest wizard of all time. This worried him immensely. With so much power, the boy could become very dangerous if he was not moulded properly into the perfect weapon. The fact that Lily Potter had survived also worried him. She should have died! Now, she could prevent him from executing his carefully laid out plans for her son.

However, all was not lost. It was not as though anyone could have been at Godric's Hollow at that time to help Lily escape. She must have tried to run away in panic. She could not have gone far. He had sent the Aurors to keep a lookout at all the Potter properties. Once they would see Lily, he would be alerted. After that it would be pretty simple. He would put a mild compulsion spell on her to give up her son into his custody as she was in shock after her husband's death and in no position to care for her son. As a muggleborn, hardly anyone would object to it anyway.

She would then be admitted in St. Mungo's and would 'accidentally' consume poison a few years later. After all, she would never recover from the death of her husband. Harry would be placed in the custody of his muggle relatives and have as unloved a childhood as Voldemort did.

If he was lucky, Sirius might even go after Peter and confront him about his betrayal. At the very least, it would lead to Sirius being stripped of the title of Harry's guardian and having no legal right over him. At best, Sirius would be sent to Azkaban.

Everything would still go according to plan, thought Dumbledore, smiling serenely. Fawkes looked at his master sorrowfully. He knew that the old wizard was treading a dangerous path. However, the wizard in question did not feel the least bit guilty about the entire situation. After all, it was all for the Greater Good.

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Lily's face was white as Sirius and Remus told her the entire story.

"Why?" she whispered.

"I have no idea Lily, but one thing is for sure. Dumbledore can't be trusted anymore.'' Said Remus firmly. "I know that this must be a great shock and I wish we could have told you this sooner but we ourselves came to know about this yesterday."

"That reminds me Lily, there is something that is puzzling me in this entire case.'' Said Sirius, slipping into Auror mode. "How did Voldemort know your location? As you were under the Fidelius charm you must have been virtually impossible to find."

"That's the thing Sirius. Most people are under the misconception that the Fidelius charm by itself is all-powerful and that in addition to it no other wards are required. That is a wrong concept. I did extensive research on the topic when we were in hiding. The Fidelius charm indeed hides the location of the individual but is further strengthened by the application of other protective charms such as blood wards. If a house is only under the Fidelius charm it only remains protected as long as the secret keeper keeps it a secret….." her voice trailed off.

"What, Lily?" Sirius demanded.

"Peter was our secret keeper.'' She whispered. "He was also well-aware of the fact that there were no other protective charms on the cottage except the Fidelius. But that means that-"

"Peter was the one who told Voldemort your location." Snarled Remus. "I am going to kill that rat!"

"And I will help you willingly." Agreed Sirius.

"NO! You will not do that!" yelled Lily. "Do you know what will happen if you both kill him? You will both end up in Azkaban! Moreover, half of the wizarding world thinks that Sirius was our secret keeper. They will be after your blood. Please, if not for me then think of Harry. He has already lost his father. He can't lose his godfather and uncle as well!"

"People are not stupid, Lily,'' snapped Remus. "Moreover, I doubt Dumbledore will allow us to be imprisoned regardless of his numerous faults."

"He will! Don't you see? He was the one who convinced us that Peter should be our secret keeper and not Sirius. He was adamant about it. James tried to talk him out of it but he was firm. Now that I think about it, he was also the one who told us not to put any extra wards around the cottage and told Peter about it too. To be honest, I don't know why James and I agreed to it in the first place. It seems really stupid now.''

"Another compulsion charm, I reckon?'' asked Remus dryly.

"So let me get this straight. Dumbledore made you guys pretty much sign a death warrant and might readily send both of us to Azkaban if we go after Peter who sold your family to Voldemort. Just great." Said Sirius, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"In essence, yes, I suppose." Said Lily defeated. "But why would he do that? What could he have gained by all but sending Voldemort after us?"

"After you were knocked unconscious, do you remember at all what curse Voldemort cast on Harry?" asked Remus.

Lily shrugged. "I would suppose that he would have wanted to cast the killing curse. But he must not have as Harry would not be alive now.'' Her eyes rested on her son, sleeping peacefully in her lap.

'Not necessarily' thought Sirius thinking back to his conversation with Firenze. Looking at Remus, he knew that the same thought was going through his mind as well. It all fit. Sirius playing a role in Harry's upbringing, Harry having the power to end the war. However, now was not the time to tell Lily about this. She was distraught enough after losing her husband. Not to mention that her daughter might also not survive. Remus caught his eye and gave a small shake of his head. Sirius nodded. It seemed as though Remus too had the same idea.

"So what should we do now?" asked Lily. "Dumbledore must have surely realized that Harry and I are alive and missing. We can't risk going to any of the Potter properties as he must have kept lookouts at each one of them and we can't remain here for too long as it is only a matter of time before he decides to search your houses."

"Then we use one of the Black properties.'' Said Sirius firmly. "Dumbledore will never think of looking over there as I am not Lord Black and moreover I have been disowned by my family. Not to mention the fact that Dumbledore will hardly be allowed into any of the Black properties as the Blacks have always been firmly opposed with his ideologies."

"But how will you be able to access any of the properties on your own then?" asked Remus.

Sirius grinned. "My uncle Alphard left me his entire estate upon his death. No one bothered about it as he was disowned as hence considered insignificant. However, it was not so. He had a penthouse in New York and a chateau in France which he left to me upon his death last year. The wards are deadly, perfect to keep anyone out – even a wizard as powerful as Dumbledore. They had to be considering the death threats made by the various members of my dear family. Now, Dumbledore might have contacts in the French Ministry of Magic which might lead to him extraditing us from there. However, he has virtually no influence in America so it might be a better option to go there instead."

"It is best if we move fast.'' Agreed Remus. "Dumbledore will have Aurors crawling all over this place by tomorrow latest."

"Then let us start moving. Sirius, how soon can you get us a portkey?" asked Lily, her eyes hard. Dumbledore was going to regret the day he crossed Lily Potter, that was for sure.

"I can make one myself." Said Sirius. "Remus, start packing everything of use here. Don't go back to your flat. It is too risky. We can transfigure my clothes to fit all of us. Lily, don't move from the couch. You need to rest. The first thing that we have to do on reaching New York is to call a healer to see you. I hope you have your house ring with you?"

Lily nodded mutely, the ruby encrusted ring glittering on her finger. "The head of the house ring will go back to Gringotts automatically won't it? Now that James is – not there?"

"Yes." Said Remus. "I have packed up everything Padfoot. Now let us get the hell out of here."

Sirius tapped at the kettle which he had set on the dining table. " _Portus_. Everyone hold on tight." All four of them crowded around the small table. Looking at Remus with his face grave and Lily holding onto little Harry fast asleep on her shoulder Sirius made up his mind. He would protect them all to the best of his ability or die trying.

"The Refuge," he said clearly feeling a tugging feeling in his navel until he was whisked away.

Just an hour later, the Aurors burst into the tiny flat only to find it empty much to the chagrin of Albus Dumbledore. The bird had flown and there was nothing that he could do about it.

 **So that was chapter 3 folks! I hope you enjoyed it!**

 **A big thank you to everyone who reviewed, followed or favourited the last chapter. You guys are really amazing!**

 **I will not be able to upload the next chapter till the first week of June as I will not be in town so see you'll then.**

 **Don't forget to review this chapter please!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: Same as Chapter 1**

 **Chapter 4**

 **Boris Rivers**

The Refuge had been the home of the late Alphard Cepheus Black from 1963 until his death in 1976. Sick of the pure blood mania of his family, he left Number 12, Grimmauld Place at the age of twenty and sailed to America – an act of rebellion which would be followed by his young nephew in the years to come. There, he made a fortune as a shipbuilder (with a little help with magic of course) hereby going everything the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black stood for. After all, a Black could be nothing less than a member of the Wizengamot.

With the help of friends both muggle and magical, Alphard had no problem in making a name for himself. He was always very careful not to reveal his true identity as the Blacks had quite a few contacts all of which would be most eager to capture him and bring him back to his family. He changed his name to Alfred White (laughing inwardly at the irony of it all) – he was a Slytherin at heart after all (though he had mentally applauded upon hearing that his nephew Sirius had been sorted into the house of the lions) and sold White Shipping Industries at a handsome price at the age of forty when most of his contemporaries were just getting a firm foothold in businesses of their own. He invested half of the money into building his manor and the other half in the stock market. Having a flair for gambling and a risk taker at heart, Alphard's money quadrupled and in a moment of sudden foresight (madness his accountant called it), he left his entire fortune to his errant nephew who had run away to the Potters and had been disowned by his family by then.

After his death, The Refuge had become impenetrable, impervious to charms or spells due to the various wards put on it by Alphard himself (the Blacks did have an impressive collection of spells for warding properties) waiting for its new owner for the past five years. The manor had an almost ghostly tranquility to it, making an imposing sight. It would appear just like any ordinary penthouse to the common muggle but was actually a manor just as grand as any in Britain. It was wonderful what magic could do at times. The tranquility of the estate was shattered on the thirty first of October, 1981 when four figures landed at the front gates of the mansion at seven in the evening.

Sirius felt like puking. Portkeys were never easy on the stomach and international portkeys were the worst. He straightened up with difficulty and steadied Lily. He looked at the structure before him in wonder. A penthouse indeed! The building in front of him was no less than Grimmauld Place or Potter Manor!

"Let's get you inside,'' he said gently. With Remus carrying Harry and him supporting Lily they approached the front gates. The imposing iron gates parted fluidly as though recognizing him as the new owner. The quartet hurried thorough the garden, into the front door which too, had swung open in anticipation.

The hallway led to a cheerful sitting room where Lily immediately sank down on a sofa with a groan. She was very pale and beads of perspiration trickled down her brow.

"Any clue if there are any house elves over here?" asked Remus anxiously, looking around. Though the lights were on, and the fire crackled in the grate, the house seemed deserted.

There was a pop and sure enough, a house elf appeared only to launch herself at Sirius sobbing.

"Master returns at last!'' she sobbed, hugging Sirius by the legs, nearly causing him to topple over.

"That's all very nice, er-"

"Triny, Sir." Beamed the elf still gazing at Sirius adoringly.

"Yes. Triny. But I am afraid that we are kind of in a hurry here. Will it be possible for you to get us a healer and a discreet one at that as soon as possible? My friend here is very sick." He gestured at Lily.

"Triny will get Mister Alph's personal physician at once sir!" Squeaked the elf, popping away.

"You had better put up the protective wards, Padfoot." said Remus gravely. "In case Dumbledore sends someone here too." He rocked Harry gently who had fallen asleep.

"I will see to it as soon as the healer arrives. You are right, Moony. We might have been followed."

Lily gave a feeble groan. "I-I don't think I will be able to stay conscious for much longer," she whispered. "If I do not make it, will you both promise me that you will take care of Harry?"

"Don't say that!" growled Remus fiercely. "You are going to be just fine."

Another pop signaled the arrival of Triny. She had a bespectacled old man with her who looked to be around sixty. He was an imposing figure and reminded Sirius of McGonagall. However he had grass green hair which kind of ruined the effect.

"Mr. Black," he inclined his head. "Your Uncle spoke very highly of you."

"Glad to hear that," snapped Sirius brusquely. "Now if it is possible I would like you to conduct a complete checkup for my friend. She is pregnant and has been attacked. I have already given her a blood replenishing potion and a calming draught and have also cast a mild healing spell. However, since I am no healer myself I would like you to treat her in any further way as soon as possible."

The doctor looked at him sharply, his eyes darting from Sirius to Remus to Harry. He gave a sharp nod. "Very well."

"Ennervate" The doctor said softly and Lily's eyes fluttered open.

"The baby." She whispered, her hands fluttering across her abdomen.

The healer cast a spell in a language that was foreign to Sirius. It may have been Russian or even Romanian. A soft pink glow bathed Lily and her eyes slowly closed. Slowly, her wounds stitched themselves up and the caked blood vanished. The healer transfigured the couch into a bed, pocketed his wand and smiled.

"What happened? Did it work?" demanded Remus.

"She has not lost the baby although she did come very close to doing so. It was a wise thing you did to give her the potions. As of now, I believe that she should be absolutely fine whenever she wakes up. The spell that I cast on her was an ancient one, nearly forgotten over the ages. It was taught to me in Russia where I had gone for my apprenticeship. What the spell did was to basically prevent her from miscarrying and reveal the child's gender. It is a girl by the way. As your friend was only about three months along in her pregnancy, it was easier to stabilize the fetus. I would recommend that she should not engage in any stressful activity for at least the next month though my guess is that it will not be so easy considering that you all seem to have left Britain in a terrible hurry by the looks of it." The healer concluded wryly.

Both Sirius and Remus had their wands out in an instant pointed at the man.

"What do you know exactly about us?" snarled Remus looking no less intimidating despite having a toddler in his arms.

The healer seemed terribly unfazed by the fact that two grown men had their wands pointed at his throat.

"Enough to know that you are a werewolf, Mr. Lupin and that the child in your arms is undoubtedly the last of the Potters. The lady on the couch whom I just treated is Lady Potter while Mr. Black is the child's godfather. Alphard Black was a good friend of mine and a farsighted man. He had often mentioned his errant nephew and his escapades to me and his other friends. Before his death he made me swear on my magic that I would help his nephew in any way that he needed. Since you are now in America I assume that my help is now needed. Now would you be kind enough to lower your wands? As you can see, I am unarmed myself and I doubt you want spells flying in such a small room where the lady or the small child could accidentally get injured."

Sirius reluctantly lowered his wand and motioned Remus to follow.

"This still does not answer the question how you know about Remus, Harry and Lily."

"Fair enough. I suppose I will have to show you then. You know how to see projected memories I suppose?" On seeing their nods he continued. "If I may have the permission to use my wand to remove the memory?"

"I will do that for you." Said Sirius gruffly. Although the man did seem trustworthy, he would not put it past the healer to attack them once he removed his wand again.

To his surprise the healer guffawed. "Looks like your teacher taught you well Sirius Black! CONSTANT VIGILANCE! Give Alastor my regards once you meet him again. Now let us get on with it, shall we?"

The silvery white strand of a memory came out of the healer's temples.

" _Project Memoria!"_ whispered Sirius.

A flat screen formed in front of them. Similar to a movie screen. Slowly, the picture cleared. It revealed Alphard Black, well into his forties and the healer standing next to them. There was a woman sitting on a chair opposite him in the very room where they were standing right now. Sirius' eyes widened when he realized who it was. It was the celebrated seer, Cassandra Trelawney.

" – and are you sure about this?" asked his uncle.

"Absolutely. Your nephew will have to move here within the next fifteen years probably with his friends the werewolf, the prophesied child and the lady whose true family is hidden. It will be wise for you both to help them in any way you can as the child will be in tremendous danger. He will either save the world or bring its ruin. I doubt you will survive to see that day, Mr. Black but your friend here – yes. He will play a major role in helping them and freeing the child from the part of himself that wants to bring about his destruction. I cannot say anymore. But please heed my warning or the wizarding world as we know it shall be in ruins."

The scene changed. Alphard Black was now lying pale and haggard on a bed. Beads of perspiration trickled down his brow. He was dying. A single candle lit up the room. The same healer was standing over his bed.

"Boris," rasped Alphard. "Promise me – promise me that you will help my nephew in his endeavor after my death. He will need you. You must help him." His voice grew more urgent and feverish as he spoke.

"Don't worry, my friend. I, Boris Rivers swear on my magic that I will do everything in my power to help your nephew and will keep all his secrets. So I swear on my magic and so mote be!"

"Thank you, old friend. I can now rest in peace." Whispered Alphard and breathed his last.

The screen dissolved. The fire crackled cheerfully in the grate.

"I hope your doubts have been put to rest now, Mr. Black?" asked the healer.

Sirius rubbed the back of his neck ashamed. "Yeah sorry about that Healer Rivers. It is just that as you said, we left Britain in a hurry and did not know whom to trust. I guess it is time we told you everything. Please do sit down. It is a long story."

After Sirius and Remus finished the story, Boris looked very grave.

"This is disturbing news indeed. Personally, I never liked Dumbledore much myself but as for his manipulations I have a feeling that there is more to the story than you both know. Something to do with the child. He glanced at Harry who was peacefully sleeping. I for one would like to know the actual contents of the prophecy that was made regarding the child. I heard that it was made by Cassandra's niece Sybil."

"Sybil Trelawney!" snorted Sirius scornfully. "She is no seer! Just a fraud from what I have heard."

"Which makes her all the more dangerous." Continued Boris. "Since she cannot remember the prophecies she makes, she will be unable to help us. Moreover, what if she spouts off a prophecy in a presence of a couple of death eaters? It is not like she can control when the sight commands her!"

"What about the unknown family of Lily and the part of Harry that wants his destruction?" asked Remus.

"Mr. Lupin, what do you know about muggleborns?" asked Boris.

"They are technically first generation magical folk aren't they? Their parents are non-magical but the children show magical abilities."

"That is where you are wrong." Smiled Boris. "Tell me, how did magic just randomly manifest itself into only a few children whose parents are muggles? Why not all of them? What causes this to happen? What makes them so very special? Isn't a more logical explanation this that the magic has been lying dormant in such families for a few generations due to which it has become strong enough to finally express itself years after it first died out?"

"You mean like squibs?" asked Sirius.

"Exactly. A more logical explanation is that old family lines which died out due to squibs revived themselves years later and expressed themselves as – for lack of a better word, as muggleborns."

"So all muggleborns are actually members of an ancient house that has died out years ago in some sense?" gasped Remus.

"In essence, yes. Though I suppose it would be politically beneficial for Albus Dumbledore to completely deny this evidence and make himself the self styled champion of the light and protector of muggleborns. If they too were to get independent seats in the Wizengamot, I suppose that his hold over them would diminish considerably."

"So we now need to find Lily's origins." Stated Remus. "How can this be done exactly?"

"If you go to the New York branch of your Gringotts the goblins there will carry out a genealogy test for Lady Potter. It is a pretty simple one. Only a drop of her blood is required and magic will automatically reveal which House she belongs to. However I must warn you that the results of this test are sometimes - surprising." Smirked Boris.

"Fair enough," drawled Sirius, raising an eyebrow. "And what about the part of Harry that wants to kill him?''

"Now that is not such an easy problem to solve." Said Boris gravely. "Since Lady Potter does not remember the exact spell that was cast, it complicates the issue for sure. However, the state of the house that you described to me seems to have been nothing less than the work of one of the Unforgivables. I would say the killing curse. I would like to conduct a complete check up on the boy to see if there is any lasting spell damage at all. That might give us a clue as to what is the destructive part Cassandra spoke about."

"Please go ahead." Said Sirius.

" _Aura Revelare!_ " chanted Boris. A golden light surrounded the sleeping infant with a black mark right in the centre of it. The black mark had a malevolent presence which was spreading out even as they watched trying its best to cover the entire golden aura. At the moment it was covering not even one hundredth of the total area but it was steadily growing in size.

Boris cursed softly under his breath. "This represents the boy's core. The golden part of it represents the original magical core – pure and strong. Never in all my years have I seen a magical core so strong and so pure. The boy can grow up to be a powerful wizard – probably stronger than any of us if the black mark does not kill him first."

"So the black portion is sapping away his magic?" asked Remus fearfully.

"To put it bluntly, yes. Unless it is removed, the black part will either control the boy or destroy him. It will turn the child's magic against himself. The longer we delay its removal, the more difficult it will be to eradicate it."

"Then remove it at once! What are you waiting for?" demanded Sirius.

"Because I can't remove it myself. Don't you see? The boy's soul is not his own. It is shared by someone else. Someone who approached the boy with the intent of harming him."

"Voldemort?" gasped Remus. "But that makes Harry – "

" - a hocrux." Concluded Boris. "An unstable one, no doubt. Since young Mr. Potter has a soul of his own he will try his best to fight the part of Voldemort that is present in him. I have a feeling that this hocrux is accidental. I seriously doubt that Voldemort would want to anchor himself to a child whom he wanted to kill in the first place."

"How in Merlin's name do _you_ know what a hocrux is?" demanded Sirius. "That is dark magic. The darkest of the dark."

"Magical knowledge that is withheld in Britain is often freely available in our society. Don't you know how human psychology works? The moment something is prohibited, it becomes all the more attractive. Try telling a child not to climb on roof. The child will do exactly that. However if you demonstrate that a person falling from the roof can break his neck, the child will undoubtedly be more wary of trying it. Same thing with hocruxes. The basic theory regarding it is taught to us in our curriculum while ample warnings and examples are shown as to how it can destroy the very individual that created it. Even drive the person mad. If Britain had the foresight of teaching its children things this way I doubt that so many students would be so very enamored with the dark arts."

Sirius had the decency to look abashed.

"So if you cannot remove it, who can?" asked Remus. "From what I have read, the only ways of destroying a hocrux are Fiendfyre or Baslisk venom both of which would undoubtedly kill Harry in the process. Is there no other way? A spell of some sort?"

"There is one more way." Said Boris thoughtfully, stroking his beard. "It is just a legend but it is believed that goblin, elf and wizard magic together can destroy a hocrux without destroying the container that holds it. If that is the case you will once again have to go to Gringotts and ask the goblins to help you. It will also require to be done in a fairly open place as once the foreign soul is ripped from the body, it often becomes destructive. It has to be then further neutralized by baslisk venom."

"So the entire operation must be synchronized." Concluded Sirius. "Is there any way to be sure of the goblins help?"

"I think knowing that the heir to one of the richest houses life is at stake would be incentive enough. Don't forget, the Potters are direct descendants of the Peverells and Godric Gryffindor so a large amount of money and artifacts will be at stake. If the goblins argue that upon young Harry's death too, they would get the gold anyway, tell them that Harry is more use to them alive than dead. If need be, tell them about the prophecy. The goblins can keep secrets better than anyone else and they will be elated to have some hold, miniscule as it may be on him."

"Is there a way to transfer the money from the Potter vaults here? So that Dumbledore cannot access it?" asked Remus.

"Excellent idea!" Exclaimed Boris. "Be sure to transfer James Potter's will as well before it is destroyed. The goblins will certainly be able to do that in such a way that Dumbledore will not be able to find out a thing."

"So we must go to Gringotts first thing tomorrow after Lily is awake, find her true linage, remove the hocrux from Harry after blackmailing the goblins and transfer all our finances here." Said Sirius sarcastically. "Piece of cake."

"In essence, yes.'' Said Boris, his lips twitching. "Give me a fire call once Lady Potter awakes, Mr. Black. I would like to check up on her. If you want I can accompany you to Gringotts tomorrow."

"That will be much appreciated." Said Sirius gratefully. "And please don't call me Mr. Black. I am not old enough for that. Sirius is fine and I am sure that Moony will prefer you calling him Remus."

"In that case you must call me Boris." Smiled the healer. "I shall see you tomorrow. Put up the wards around the house before you go to bed. You are safe here, that is for sure but I am sure that you will agree with me that it is better to be safe than sorry." Saying so, the healer disappeared in the flames.

 **So that is chapter 4 guys! I hope you liked it!**

 **A big thank you to every single person who reviewed, followed or favourited this story. You guys are seriously amazing!(pun fully intended ;)).**

 **See you next week with the next chapter!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: Same as Chapter 1**

 **Chapter 5**

 **Gringotts: Part 1**

Lily groaned as she opened her eyes. Sunlight was streaming into the small room. She squinted as she tried to get her bearings. She felt as though she had been trampled upon by a bunch of hippogriffs. What was she doing here? She tried to sit up but a wave of dizziness washed over her. What had happened last night? She had a vague recollection of Voldemort attacking them, James – Oh God! James had been killed. She choked back a sob. Sirius had then helped them, hadn't he? And Remus too. There had been some talk of going to America – some property of Alphard Black. Maybe that was where she was. Her body ached all over. She was suddenly frightened. What about the baby? Was Elizabeth alive? She had a feeling that her abdomen had been covered with blood at some point of time.

With great difficulty she managed to sit up. She must be in the sitting room, she thought. The other couches and chairs were a dead giveaway although she herself was lying on a bed. But where were Sirius and Remus? More importantly, where was Harry? A loud pop alerted her to the house elf who appeared in front of her.

"Miss Lily is awake!" squeaked the elf happily. "I will get Master and the medicines at once!" saying so, the elf disappeared only to appear a minute later with a box full of potions and Sirius in tow.

Sirius looked like hell. It was obvious he had been awake the whole of last night. His eyes had purple shadows under them and his hair – his pride and joy stuck up in all directions. Was that _milk_ on his shirt?

"Lily! You are awake! Thank Merlin. Now how are you feeling?"

"Just wonderful." She croaked. "I feel like a bludger after a Quidditch match."

A ghost of a smile flickered across Sirius' face.

"Glad you are feeling better. You gave us quite a fright. Now let me go and fetch Boris while Triny gives you the potions."

"Who is Boris?"

"Mister Boris was Master Alf's healer, Miss Lily," squeaked the elf, as Sirius had disappeared in a hurry, before he heard Lily's question. "And he is the one who healed you yesterday. You were very sick. Master Sirius and Mr. Moony were quite worried. Now let me give you the potions. Mister Boris said that I had to give them to you as soon as you wake up."

"Triny, do you know where my son is? Where is Harry?"

"Harry is with Mr. Moony. Master Sirius and Mr. Moony were looking after him last night. Little Harry was very restless indeed. He refused to sleep. He has just gone to sleep an hour ago. Master Sirius and Mr. Moony were sleeping as well but they insisted to be woken up once you regained consciousness."

So that was what had happened to Sirius' hair. Lily felt a wave of gratitude and affection for both Sirius and Remus. It was not an ordinary twenty year old man who would willingly look after a cranky baby who was not his own.

"Where are Remus and Harry now? Can I see them?" she asked eagerly, trying to stand.

"Oh no, Miss Lily," squeaked Triny firmly, barricading her way. "You are to remain in bed. You have to rest and I have to give you the potions Mister Boris has left for you. Mr. Moony is putting further wards on the manor and little Harry is sleeping."

So it was in this manner that Lily was fed potions that tasted worse than Skele-gro. Whoever this Boris was he was a clever wizard, that was for sure. Lily was sure that she would have easily convinced Sirius not to give her the entire potion. He would be sure to sympathize with her. Triny, on the other hand was a different case altogether. She was as strict as Madam Pince and would not listen to any of Lily's protestations of how it would be fine if she had only half of the potion instead of the whole thing. Lily was sure that she would have a similar fight with Harry a few years hence about eating his vegetables. It was scary to think about. Maybe she would enlist Triny to help her out.

The door opened to reveal Sirius and a man with a green beard. That must be Boris.

"Lady Potter, it is good to see you conscious."

"Please, Lily is fine. I am pretty sure that titles are of little use in any place apart from the Wizengamot."

Boris chuckled.

"Your attitude is refreshing I must say. Now to come to the real reason I am here. When I came here last night, your injuries were dangerous, maybe even fatal if I had brought an hour later."

Sirius stiffened in the background. Apparently, he had not been aware of the severity of the situation last night.

"And the baby? Will my daughter survive?"

"She will if you take precautions to not over exert yourself both physically and emotionally. Emotional stress should especially be completely avoided. The potions I am giving you are to prevent you from miscarrying and you will have to take them regularly for the remainder of your pregnancy. Take them regularly twice a day for the next two weeks and then once in three days for the remaining months. Now, I will not confine you to bed rest as I am sure you will rebel against it," his eyes twinkled at this point. "However, you must take as much rest as possible. Any sign of bleeding, call me immediately, regardless of the time."

"Alright, Healer – ''

"Healer Rivers, but please call me Boris. Now, there is something that Sirius has to tell you."

Sirius was pale. "Lily, I know this will be difficult to hear but please try to stay calm. Boris had carried out an examination on Harry yesterday and…"

After Sirius had told her the entire story of what had transpired the night before and his previous meeting with Firenze, Lily was speechless. "So my son has a part of Voldemort in him?" she asked blankly.

"I am afraid so but what I am more concerned about is the fact that Voldemort might have made more than one horcruxes." Said Boris. "The only way a horcrux could be accidentally formed is if his soul was already unstable due to splitting it too many times before. That brings us to the second part of the problem. If Harry has to indeed defeat Voldemort due to the prophecy made about him, we need to find the remaining remains of Voldemort's soul as soon as possible. The centaur said we have approximately twenty years for the war to end. However it does not mean that Voldemort will not rise again before that in order to _start_ the war in the first place. I should think that we should have about ten to twelve years at best before we will be plunged into his reign of terror once more."

"So we must hurry then." Said Lily, her jaw set. "We must go to Gringotts at once."

"If you are feeling fine, then we can leave immediately." Said Sirius. "Boris is coming with us."

"I feel absolutely fine. Maybe a little tired but nothing more than that. Is that alright?"

"In the present circumstances, I fear we will have to make do with it." Said Boris, gravely. "We have no time to lose at the moment."

"Alright then. Triny, please get Remus and Harry to come down. We need to go to Gringotts."

hphphphp

The New York branch of Gringotts was located in lower Manhattan on Wall Street. It had been started by Edgar Jones an American wizard who had a flair for business and had a love for money as much as goblins did. It had not taken much to convince the goblins to open an establishment which would help them make even _more_ money. They were all too happy to open the branch of their bank in America even at the exorbitant price that Jones had charged to set it up. In the end, the goblins had the last laugh. The American branch of the bank was even more popular than the one in Britain and they were soon swimming in galleons.

The five of them arrived by portkey at Pier 11 startling an old fisherman out of his wits who started muttering about aliens from Mars. It was decided that they must use glamour charms to disguise themselves. Sirius had now got straight blonde hair and brown eyes, Remus with a similar appearance, Lily with black hair and grey eyes, Harry with blonde hair and brown eyes too while Boris remained his usual self. It was decided that Boris was going to introduce the four of them as the Hall family with Lily and Sirius as husband and wife and Remus as Sirius' brother who wanted to open a new account in Gringotts.

This introduction which would have caused a lot of curiosity in Britain was inconsequential here as it was common for new accounts to be opened in Gringotts frequently by people who had just discovered their wizarding ancestry. After all, there was no big concept of accounts being held for generations in the States as the entire wizarding community was less than a hundred years old. Moreover, the bank was still in the process of expansion so new accounts were being set up on a daily basis.

The American branch of Gringotts was vastly different from its European counterpart. For one, the goblins seemed _happier_. Sirius never thought that he would ever use the word _happy_ to describe a goblin but somehow, the adjective fit them. They seemed to take a genuine interest in helping the patrons and getting things done.

Suddenly, he stiffened.

"I am asking you once again," yelled a man in a black cloak at a goblin, "Have you seen anything to indicate the arrival of Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, Lily Potter and Harry Potter over here? You _have_ to answer me dammit! They are all wanted criminals in Britain!"

The goblin in front of him regarded the man coolly as though he was nothing more than a flobberworm. "For the last time, Mr. Dawlish, I am telling you that none of the people named by you have come to this establishment or are even in the country at the moment. Now kindly more aside. You are disturbing our clients."

Dawlish scowled but left the counter. He passed the five of them on the way without even sparing them a glance.

"Already?" murmured Remus, worriedly.

"Ignore them," muttered Boris. "Try not to draw attention to yourselves and follow me."

Boris led them to a counter at the far end of the bank where they could not be seen. The goblin sitting there sprang to his feet on seeing them.

"Lord le Fay, it is an honor to see you again."

" _Lord le Fay!"_ gasped Lily, incredulously, nearly dropping Harry. "Any relation to Morgana le Fay by any chance?"

Sirius and Remus were no better. They stared at Boris, their mouths partly open.

"Maybe we should take this conversation elsewhere." Said Boris hurriedly. "Nagnok, if you will."

The goblin led them to a small room partly hidden by a giant tapestry.

"Explain." Snarled Sirius once the door shut behind them.

Boris sighed. "Yes, Sirius, I am the descendent of Morgana le Fay. Her last living descendent at that."

"And?" prompted Remus.

"And nothing. When I was first introduced to the wizarding world, I was considered to be a muggleborn, much like you, Lily. However, after completing my education from Salem, my professors recommended that I go for the genealogy test just like the one I asked you to make Lily take. Imagine my surprise when I found out that I was the descendent of one of the most evil sorceresses of all time! However, please believe me nothing has changed. Alphard knew of my origins. As a matter of fact he was the one who taught me how to handle pureblood politics. He was like a brother to me and I swear on my magic that I am here only to help and advise you all in any way possible."

"Have there been any other discoveries such as yours?" asked Lily timidly. "Of any other muggleborns having any such origins as well?"

"No. I was the only such case. Most muggleborns end up as members of minor or obscure houses which have long been forgotten. That just results in the revivals of those houses. The same as mine did."

"Are you trying to tell me that your ancestry does not give you any greater power than the others?" asked Sirius, disbelievingly.

"No, it doesn't." said Boris firmly. "The House of le Fay has one seat in the Parliament and one vote just as the others do."

"Incredible." Murmured Remus. In Britain, the older the House was, the greater number of votes it had. This was a huge disadvantage in getting laws passed as if the older Houses opposed the law, there was little chance of it getting passed.

"How did the news of your ancestry not get out?" asked Lily, ducking her head from Harry who was trying to pull her nose.

"The ancestry of witches and wizards in America is kept a secret. As most of them are muggleborns who belong to minor houses, it does not matter anyway. Even if you choose to reveal your ancestry, it will not be possible as our laws forbid it. However, there is a loophole. The ancestry laws are restricted only to the States. Once you are in Europe, there is no such restriction. However, no one will choose to go to Britain willingly to do so as we all know that your government is a joke and that any pureblood will be forced to join either Dumbledore or Voldemort. It is not a choice that most of us want to make."

"So the only reason for you to find your ancestry is to get a sense of belonging I guess?" asked Remus.

"Exactly. We basically want to know our place in the magical world. The test helps us understand it. Hardly anyone here believes that your family defines what you are. If you have been brought up as a muggle it is idiotic to believe that you could turn dark just because your family had been so. I am sure Sirius agrees with me."

Sirius nodded. "It would have surely made making friends much easier in my first year. No one but James and Remus wanted to risk being friends with a Black."

Nagnok cleared his throat. It was obvious that he wanted them to get down to business.

"My apologies, Nagnok." Said Boris immediately. "Your time is worth in Galleons and it was careless of me to waste it. Now I was hoping you could keep what you just heard to yourself in return for being my friends' accountant?"

"Certainly my lord," said Nagnok respectfully. "Everything discussed in this room will never be repeated outside it."

"I would like to set up an account in the name of Hall." Said Sirius. "My brother has acquired some wealth recently and we would like to save it."

"With due respect, Lord Black, deception is unbecoming you." Said the goblin calmly, as Sirius sputtered incoherently. "I will be happy to transfer the entire contents of the Black and Potter vaults here."

"How do you know?" asked Sirius weakly. At this point of time, he doubted anything short of Bellatrix professing her love for Dumbledore would surprise him ever again.

"News travels fast." Grinned the goblin. "Also, it is our duty to keep ourselves up to date with the movements of some of ours riches clients."

"But why did you not tell Dawlish about us? You must have know we were here." demanded Remus.

"And risk losing two of our best clients?" asked the goblin drolly. "Not to mention that we are honor bound to help you for various reasons."

"So you will be able to transfer all our money here by next week?" asked Lily.

"By today evening actually, if we do not face any hurdles."

"Make sure to leave a false trail leading to Australia or some other such place." Added Boris. "We do not want Dumbledore to know where they are."

"Will your colleagues in Britain agree to this?" asked Remus.

"They will. After all, we pride ourselves on keeping our clients' privacy."

"What if Dumbledore tries to access our accounts?" asked Sirius.

"He will not be able to touch them. I think you will like to know that he has already ordered James Potter's will to be destroyed as of an hour ago saying that it was made under duress. He also tried to take all the money from the vaults but even he could not do so. The goblins let him off with a stern warning. He will not try it again."

"WHAT?" yelled Lily. "He destroyed my husband's will?"

Nagnok smiled. "Only the copies that he knew of, Lady Potter. The one in Gringotts back home is surely destroyed as are the ones in Potter Manor and the Potter Mansion in California. However, the one in this bank is still there. It is, I suppose, the only surviving copy."

"Why did you not destroy this one and moreover how do you have it in the first place?" asked Boris, flabbergasted.

"Call it luck, if you must but to be honest, Dumbledore only asked for the copies of the will which were in the possession of the Potters' to be destroyed. He said absolutely nothing about any copies which were in the possession of the _Whites._ Alfred White, or rather Alphard Black had requested for a copy of Lord Potter's will so a year ago so we got it here for him."

"And how was that possible?" asked Sirius sarcastically. "No customer can access another client's vault under any circumstances especially a dead one."

Nagnok looked uncomfortable. "Technically, you are correct. However, Mister Black asked for the will of James Potter, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew seven years ago. He had also given instructions that the wills should be only of brought here once they had all turned of age as that is the time when most purebloods encourage their children to make their will. Any further changed wills were to be also brought here in secret. He was adamant that this was to be done even after his death. He also made us promise that we would keep his nephew, Sirius Black's secrets and not reveal his location to anyone regardless of whether we knew it or not. That is what made us not tell Dawlish about you today. Your uncle made us take an oath."

"But seven years ago, I was only thirteen!" exclaimed Sirius. "How on earth would my uncle know who my friends were let alone that I would remain friends with them back then?"

"Difficult to say, Lord Black. However, as your uncle had singlehandedly campaigned for goblin rights for the greater part of his life we could not refuse him. He was the one who had several laws passed for the rights of house elves and goblins and we goblins always pay our debts. He gave us an oath that he was not going to use this for his own benefit, he swore on his magic in fact. Hence, we procured the wills from Britain which are still there in his vaults even now."

"He really did everything he could think of, didn't he?" asked Boris wonderingly.

"Could you please get the will here now, if possible?" asked Sirius, his voice choked with emotion. He was just beginning to realize the magnitude of what his uncle had done for him. Merlin! If only he could have thanked him for it all!

Nagnok disappeared only to return within a few minutes with an official looking document.

"This was made after James Potter took up the title of Lord Potter six months ago. Would you like to read it yourself or only give you a brief summary of its contents?"

"A brief summary, please." Said Lily firmly. After all, they did not have much time.

"Very well. Lily Evans Potter is named the principal beneficiary if she survives her husband and Harry James Potter is not of age. She gets all the Potter properties and the share in the businesses that the Potters have along with primary custody of Harry James Potter. Otherwise, it all goes to Harry James Potter who is named his heir. If it so happens that Lily also dies before Harry is of age, custody goes to Sirius Black followed by Frank and Alice Longbottom.

Remus Lupin gets ten thousand galleons and a property in Wales while Sirius Black gets the apartment in London along with ten thousand galleons. Peter Pettigrew is also the recipient of ten thousand galleons with a cottage in Kent. Albus Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall are each left five thousand galleons and Hagrid is given three thousand galleons. Frank and Alice Longbottom are left ten thousand galleons and Neville Longbottom is left one thousand galleons. This leaves the net worth of the Potter vault at one million galleons with a trust vault each for Harry and any other children born later of a thousand galleons."

Lily looked faint. "What businesses do the Potters have an investment in?"

"Quality Quidditch Supplies, Flourish and Blotts, The Daily Prophet, Zonko's Joke Shop, Ogden's Firewhiskey are the main ones in Britain with a holding of more than 35%. There are many other small holdings, all of which have proved to be profitable along with many others in the States as well. I would recommend that you look at the full list later." Said Nagnok.

"Would you like to make any changes to the contents of the will, Lily?" asked Boris gently. The poor girl had had a lot to take in. "You can do so if you have proof of any of the beneficiaries have been disloyal. If you swear on your magic and magic judges your claim to be true then that part of the will is considered null and void.

"Yes," said Lily, shaking herself out of her stupor. "I, Lily Evans Potter swear on my magic that Albus Dumbledore and Peter Pettigrew are unworthy of being the recipients of my husband's will. This I swear on my magic and so mote be!"

There was a flash and the names of Albus Dumbledore and Peter Pettigrew disappeared from the parchment.

"Well," said Sirius, letting out the breath he did not know he was holding, now that the matter considering the accounts is settled, let us go to the genealogy test.

"Wait a minute," said Remus sharply. "How do the Black vaults get emptied on Sirius' command? He is not Lord Black. He had not taken the title."

"He has," said Nagnok. "He took it on his seventeenth birthday."

"I did no such thing! My father is Lord Black, not me."

"According to the records, you are, Sir. Your grandfather made specific instructions that the title of Lord Black should not pass to Orion Black but go directly to you upon his death once you were of age. Orion Black was only your proxy until you were of age. On your seventeenth birthday, the title was to pass to you regardless of whether you undertook the inheritance ritual or not."

"Impossible! Father disowned me. He would have known about this!"

"Arcturus Black left strict instructions that his son Orion should not be made aware of this fact. He had left a letter for you to be given on your seventeenth birthday once you visited Gringotts explaining everything but as you did not come, the letter was destroyed and we were left further instructions that we were to explain the facts to you personally once you asked any of us about it."

Sirius' mind was whirling. He felt as though he had been punched in the gut. Nothing made sense anymore. His grandfather had forced him to take on the title, regardless of his own feelings regarding the matter. Bitterness rose within him. How very typical. He did not even get a choice. Alphard Black helping him out was one thing. His grandfather doing the same was very different.

The rational part of his brain told him that surprisingly enough, everything had worked out for the best as with the political power of the House of Black behind him, Harry had a better chance of succeeding in his mission however, the unfairness of the situation still rankled. He was being forced into this position regardless of the fact that he had always tried to distance himself from everything the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black stood for.

He did not even realize that Lily had been calling his name.

"Sorry, I got distracted." He muttered. "Do as you suggested, Nagnok. Transfer all the contents of the Black vault to the Hall vault."

"Do the same for the contents of the Potter vault too." Chimed in Lily.

Boris looked terribly worried. Sirius did not envy the guy. Due to his promise to Alphard, Boris Rivers' life had just become a whole lot complicated. More than he had probably envisioned.

"Would you like to proceed with the genealogy test now or wait for another time?" asked Boris.

"I would like to do it now if it is fine by Sirius and Remus," said Lily, determinedly.

"Better finish everything today." Agreed Remus and Sirius nodded in agreement. The sooner everything was dealt with, the better.

Nagnok got a stone cup with runes carved all around it. "Your finger please, Lady Potter. A drop of your blood will be needed for the test."

Lily slowly extended her hand over the cup. Nagnok made a small scratch with a knife. The blood dribbled into the cup. Everyone watched with bated breath as the blood sizzled on coming in contact with stone. The cup changed color from grey, to blue to gold to crimson and finally turned a bright green. A wisp of smoke streamed out of the cup and fashioned itself into a silver ring with an emerald crowning it.

The emerald had a silver 'S' engraved on it. The remaining smoke fashioned itself into the image of a snake that coiled itself around the cup.

Nagnok dropped to one knee. "Lily Evans Potter, you are a member of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Slytherin. Kindly accept my deepest congratulations."

Lily could only hold Harry in her limp arms and watch numbly as another snake made of molten silver this time emerged from the cup and gently inserted the House ring on her finger.

 **So! Chapter 5, folk! Try not to kill me for the ending. I promise I will put up the next chapter as soon as I possibly can.**

 **A big thank you to all you wonderful people who have reviewed, followed and favourited stories. You guys are absolutely incredible!**

 **See you next week with the new chapter!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: Same as Chapter 1**

 **Chapter 6**

 **Gringotts - Part 2**

There was silence as the snake bowed to Lily and coiled itself around her wrist in the form of a live bracelet. The Heir of Slytherin. A muggleborn and a Gryffindor. Sirius was pretty sure that Lucius Malfoy would have a stroke if he heard of this along with most other purebloods, his mother at the top of the list. Lily was pale as parchment. He did not blame her. After spending her entire time in the magical world with the belief that Slytherins were evil, it was undoubtedly a shock for her that the blood of that very house ran through her veins. Hell, there had even been rumors that Voldemort was a descendent of Slytherin! Remus did not look much better. Neither did Boris. Both of them were looking at Lily as though they were seeing her clearly for the first time.

"Would you like to know if there are any other surviving members of your House, milady?" asked Nagnok, breaking the silence.

This seemed to snap Lily out of her daze. "Yes please, Nagnok. I should like to know."

Nagnok tapped on the stone cup with his right hand muttering all the while in Latin. A scroll of shadowy parchment which seemed to be made of smoke itself emerged from the cup which he caught deftly in his hand.

"What does it say?" demanded Sirius.

"Lily Evans Potter and Harry James Potter are the only surviving members of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Slytherin. There was another member of the house – a Tom Marvolo Riddle. However, according to the records, he died yesterday night."

"Tom Marvolo Riddle?" asked Boris.

"He is known to most of you wizards as Lord Voldemort."

"Dear Merlin!" gasped Remus. "So what does this mean now? Lily is the head of the House of Slytherin? But that cannot be! She was sorted into Gryffindor at Hogwarts!"

Boris shook his head. "That does not determine that she cannot be the Heir of Slytherin, Remus. Certainly, if Lily had known about her family's origins there would have been a greater chance of her going to Slytherin. However, since she had no idea whatsoever about her magical roots, her mind remained unprejudiced hereby allowing the sorting hat to make its choice based on her merits alone. Remember, children's minds are as malleable as clay. They get shaped depending upon the exposure they receive and the choices they make. Sirius is an exception to the rule. There is hardly any child whose mind is made up so very early in his life and is so very against everything his family stands for."

"But didn't the Slytherin line die out with the Gaunts?" asked Sirius. "I was taught that as a boy. all purebloods are taught so. The Gaunts descended from Salazar Slytherin himself. Moreover, wasn't Slytherin a Parselmouth? I am pretty sure that Lily cannot talk to snakes."

"Actually Sirius, you are wrong." Said Lily softly. "When I was eight, Petunia and I had gone to visit our grandparents. They lived at a farm in the country. There were many snakes in the woods surrounding the fields. Once, Petunia and I were taking a walk in the woods when we stumbled upon an adder's nest. it was very similar to the one which is now coiled around my wrist actually. It – it was going to attack Petunia, Sirius. I was so scared. I yelled at the snake to leave us alone and go away. And it just looked at me intently and vanished. Petunia was so scared. She yelled at me that I had been ordering the snake to attack her. She had apparently heard it talking to me. She said that something was wrong with me and that she would tell our parents about it. No one believed her, obviously. However, whenever I think of that incident I can't help remembering the fact that the adder had said 'Sorry for scaring you, mistress' before disappearing from there."

"Why did you not tell anyone about this?" asked Remus.

"I thought I must have been hallucinating. Think, Remus! If you suddenly realized that you could understand a snake talking what would you do?"

"Did it ever happen again after that?" asked Boris, curiously.

"No. But it is not like I went chasing after snakes to try to make them talk to me." Said Lily dryly. "In fact, I had nearly forgotten about this incident. Whenever I thought about it, I always supposed that it was just another bout of accidental magic. Nothing more. Being a muggleborn I simply put every strange happening in my life as just that – accidental magic. Once I came to Hogwarts, I stumbled upon a book in my second year that explained what being a Parselmouth actually meant. I panicked, honestly thinking that I was a dark wizard and willed that ability of mine to go away. After that, once in my fourth year I once again saw a snake on the Hogwarts grounds but could not understand it. I then concluded that I had been mistaken as a child."

"Not necessarily," said Boris. "Do you know what you did Lily? You willed your magical ability away! Only wizards who have excellent control over their abilities can do so. According to me, if you desire you could once again regain your Parselmouth abilities. You just have to focus on it and it will come back to you. It is quite similar to being able to swim once you have learnt how to."

"Why don't you try to talk to the snake on your wrist?" encouraged Remus.

"But – but I don't know what to do!" stammered Lily.

"Just talk to it normally." Nagnok chimed in. "You will find that the words automatically change to Parseltongue for us but for you it will be just like speaking in English."

" _Hello_ " said Lily hesitantly to the silver snake. " _Can you understand me?_ "

The snake stirred. It uncoiled itself from her wrist until it was standing erect. It bowed deeply.

" _A speaker at last! I have waited a long time for you, my mistress. It is an honor to finally meet you."_

"What did it say?" asked Sirius.

"He said that he was honored to meet me and that he has been waiting for a speaker for a long time. Could you really not understand what I was saying?"

"No. it sounded like you were hissing. Nothing more." Said Remus.

"So Lily is a Parselmouth and is related to Voldemort." Concluded Sirius. Salazar Slytherin must be rolling in his grave. Not to forget that Lily was also related to Godric Gryffindor by marriage. "Is there any way you could tell is how that is possible, Nagnok?"

"Certainly." said Nagnok, tapping on the cup once again to reveal a family tree. It looked like a spider's web made out of gold thread stretching out in all directions. At the top was the name Salazar Slytherin.

 _"_ _Wait_ ," said the snake suddenly, from Lily's wrist. " _I can tell you all that you need to know. Cast a translation spell on me Mistress and I will tell you all about the Noble and Most Ancient House of Slytherin."_

"What did the snake say?" asked Boris.

"He wants to tell us the whole story of Slytherin's descendents. He asked me to cast a translation spell on him so that we can all understand what he is saying."

"Fair enough," shrugged Boris. "Transferendum Sermonis!"

"Many thanks, Lord le Fay. Now it is time that I told all of you the entire story. I have been at Master Salazar's wrist for his entire life. No one knows the real story of the family as I do. The Slytherin family line was such that even girls could inherit the title. The original Lord Slytherin was very clear about that. It is well known that Salazar Slytherin had a son Septimus who gave rise to the Gaunts and what is famously known as the Gaunt family madness. However, a lesser known fact is that Slytherin also had a daughter Cassiopeia who was Septimus' senior by a year. She was her father's pride and joy. He was certain that only Cassiopeia was worthy of inheriting the title as Septimus was too weak character wise and hence specifically changed the ancient laws for that very purpose.

However, while Septimus tried his best to follow his father's footsteps of propagation of blood supremacy, Cassiopeia was firmly against such ideologies. She was in love with a muggleborn you see, a student of Helga Hufflepuff, Robert Edwards and she eloped with him much against her father's wishes and gave up her claim to the Lordship. Lord Salazar was heartbroken and furious at the same time. He wanted to cast off his daughter from the family however, his wife begged him not to do so. Hence, he stripped her of her magic instead using the dark arts and transferred her magical core to Septimus thinking that he was more deserving.

Cassiopeia gave birth to a baby boy but the child was born a squib. Many said that it was her punishment for defying Lord Slytherin. The fact that she had lost her magic had already made her very weak and so she died just a month after giving birth. The muggleborn was beside himself after her death. He knew that Lord Slytherin had sent his men to kill him and the child so he fled to muggle world to keep his son safe. No one heard from him after that. Some said that the man and child were killed. Others said they escaped. However, one fact stood out loud and clear. Edwards changed his name to Evans in order to escape detection. The fact that my mistress had the same maiden name confirms it.

Septimus on the other hand, was fascinated with the extra power his sister's magical core had given him. He immersed himself into the Dark Arts and was fascinated by them so much so that they lodged themself in his very soul and finally drove him insane. This insanity continued for the next several generations. His descendants also showed the same signs of fascination with the dark arts such as the Gaunts who exhibited the famous Gaunt madness I already mentioned previously.

My master died an unhappy man full of regrets. With both his children lost he banished all his possessions away including me hiding them until the true heir of Slytherin revealed themselves. For him, the true heir of Slytherin would only be a descendant of Cassiopeia. We both knew that it would take millennia for a true magical heir of Cassiopeia would be born due to the hasty curse that had been cast on her in anger. The heirs of Septimus tried to find Lord Salazar's fortune but it was of no use. My lord was adamant that only Cassiopeia's heirs were his true successors. But no one ever turned up until today. Even Tom Riddle, who tried to magically fool my master's protections into recognizing him as Lord Slytherin was denied.

That is, until today. I had been instructed to help the next Heir of Slytherin understand his or her powers. I will do exactly that. I am not only the family totem but also the protector and guide of the next Heir of the House. It will be a privilege to help Lady Slytherin-Potter in her endeavors. No enemy might face her or her son without passing through me first. The ring I put on her finger was the Head of the House ring which can be used by her or by her son once he comes of age. I shall teach them all that I know. I will forever, remain a loyal servant of the House of Slytherin and I hope you will allow me to serve you to the best of my ability."

"What-what is your name?" asked Lily, shakily.

"I am known as Riptide."

"Very well Riptide, it will be my pleasure to be your mistress. As for the lordship, I will accept it but once Harry becomes old enough to inherit the title, I wish to pass it on to him. Hence, I will be grateful if you will also train my son once he grows older."

"As my lady commands." The snake bowed.

"Er- Riptide will you be able to understand what we say too?" asked Sirius.

"Yes, Lord Black I will however I am more comfortable speaking in my own language. Right now is fine but in the future I would prefer that you use a translation potion to communicate with me. Now, what was it you wanted to know?"

"I wanted to ask you if you know how to destroy a horcrux without destroying the container that holds it. Although it is widely documented that Herpo the Foul was the first one to create one, I read in one of the books in my family library that Slytherin was the one who laid the basic groundwork and understood the basic theory behind its creation in the first place. So I was hoping that you would know what to do."

Riptide eyed Sirius speculatively.

"And even if I know what to do, why should I help you?"

"Because it is Harry who is a horcrux, Riptide." Said Lily softly. "When Tom Riddle attacked us at Godric's Hollow a part of his soul was transferred into my son. If we do not remove it soon enough, Harry might end up being possessed by him and his magical core might be completely destroyed."

"There is a way but it is dangerous." Hissed Riptide. "It is pure light magic – the purest of the pure. Lord Salazar invented this method before his death. It was hidden for centuries for the simple reason that no one was foolish enough to make a living thing a horcrux. My master was a far-sighted man. He knew that it might very well be possible in the future that a malevolent person might just try to control another individual by making him or her a horcrux. This method I am telling you can only work for living beings. If an inanimate object is a horcrux, there is no way out but to destroy it by basilisk venom or fiendfyre,

You need loyalty, wealth and love to separate the horcrux from its container and then require the venom of a basilisk to destroy it completely. I can help you with the last part. I can transform into any type of snake and will be able to control myself from petrifying you long enough if my mistress orders me to do so for just enough time for you to extract the required venom from me. As for the other components, loyalty traditionally represents a house elf, wealth a goblin and no love can be purer than that of a father or mother.

Each of these components must also be balanced by another witch or wizard – a lot like a second in a duel if you please. If you are able to assemble the required individuals, I might even be able to swallow the portion of Tom Riddle's soul that is threatening my master without putting all of you at risk by having to manually extract the required venom from me. After all, a basilisk is much more dangerous than me. Also, since my natural form is an adder, I have difficulties controlling myself when I am in any other form. I become very unpredictable and am not always in control of my own actions."

"How long will the entire process take?" asked Sirius.

"Two hours at the very least. Moreover, the participants in the ritual will feel an acute drain of their magical core. The most dangerous part is that once the ritual is performed once, it cannot be performed on the same container ever again and if performed incorrectly the container destroys itself."

"Dear Merlin!" gasped Boris. "I had read about this ritual but had no clue that it could be so very dangerous."

"I would recommend that you go about the ritual immediately. The longer the horcrux remains, the more attached Tom Riddle's soul will get to my master. Later on, even if my master might wish to get free of it, it might be impossible."

"Alright then," said Sirius briskly. "Let us get it done. Triny will be the house elf who will stand for sure. I myself have no problem standing for the ritual."

"I am more than willing to stand for love." Said Lily quietly. "Nagnok, how can I convince you to also assist us in this endeavor?"

"No need, milady. I have already sworn my loyalty to Lord le Fay and Lord Alphard. I will be honored to stand for the ritual."

"Although it is life threatening?" hissed Riptide.

"Better to risk my life now than doom it twenty years later for sure. If the boy is the savior of the wizarding world and the whispers world over seem to confirm that, he is the only one who can save us from Tom Riddle. Tom Riddle cares little for anyone but himself. If he gains power over the magical world, goblins will be hunted down and slaughtered. I assume that if the boy survives you all will train him to face his destiny? That is probably our only chance to play a role in a wizard's war and we goblins are smart enough not to miss out on a good chance when we see one."

"Alright, so Triny for loyalty, Nagnok for wealth and Lily for love." Concluded Remus. "As for the seconds, I can stand for loyalty, Boris for wealth and Sirius can stand for love."

"Yes, that makes sense." Agreed Sirius. "After all, I am Harry's godfather and love him like a son. And I am sure that the le Fay family has plenty of wealth. Your loyalty is also unquestioned. Boris, will you agree to stand with us for the ritual?"

"Certainly." Nodded Boris. "Riptide, will Lily's unborn child be affected by this ritual in any way?"

"Not if the ritual is performed properly. In fact, if the ritual is successful there is a great possibility that the child will have a great affinity for light magic as a whole and its magical core will also be strengthened. It might also make the removal of Tom Riddle's soul easier as a child – even an unborn one is one of the purest individuals possible. So it will be terribly beneficial in more ways than one. Now if you are all ready, we should start the ritual. Call the house elf."

"Follow me," said Nagnok, gesturing to a nondescript door which seemed to have appeared all of a sudden behind the desk.

The party passed through a long corridor with flaming torches on the sides. It opened up into a room which was as large as ten football stadiums. The entire room looked ancient with runes carved on the marble pillars holding it up. Apart from the pillars, the room was absolutely empty. Their footsteps echoed as the group walked on the floor which was also made of marble. It literally shimmered with magic. It was obvious that whatever spells had been cast here had made the room virtually impenetrable.

"What is this place?" asked Remus.

"This is the place where the main rituals of the goblin empire are performed. Consider it to be our very own department of mysteries. You all are only the second group of wizards to have set foot here the first being Alphard Black. This is probably the only place in this part of the world which will be able to withstand the power that will be released upon the separation of the horcrux. We goblins have cast protective spells on it that have been long forgotten. Even an earthquake will not be able to destroy this place. Now kindly summon the house elf so that we can start the ritual."

"Triny! Please come here at once." Commanded Sirius.

With a crack, Triny stood in front of them. "Master called." She bowed.

"Triny, I would like you to help us in performing a ritual. You see, Harry has a part of him that wants to kill him. In order to remove that part of him, we need your participation in the ritual. Will you be willing to help us?"

"Triny will be honored to do so, sir. When do we start?"

"Immediately." Said Boris. "Riptide, do you know the wording of the ritual?"

"I do indeed, Lord le Fay. However, it is in Parseltongue. Hence, only I will be able to chant the spell. Put my young master in the center of the room and the six of you stand around him in the form of a spiral. Lady Slytherin-Potter should be the closest, followed by the house elf and the goblin. The remaining three have to follow in the same order of love, loyalty and wealth. As I chant you all must let your blood fall around the child. Remember, whatever happens, do not move from your positions or else the consequences will be disastrous."

"We will do as you say, Riptide." Assured Lily. "Please make sure that on your transformation into a basilisk you do not petrify or kill any of us. As the heir of Slytherin, I command you to do so."

"Very well, milady." Hissed the snake. "Now all of you have to cut yourselves with a platinum knife. The goblin must be having one with him. After doing so, stand in the spiral as I told you to and make sure that your blood is continuously dripping on the floor. It should not stop on any account. Make sure the cut is deep enough."

Nagnok indeed had a platinum knife and then proceeded to cut his palm with it until it bled. The remaining five members did the same. Lily gently placed Harry on the floor who was gazing at her silently as though he understood the gravity of the situation. After the six of them stood in a spiral around Harry, Riptide started chanting.

" _Leave my master's soul, dark one. Begone, set him free! In the name of the mighty Salazar Slytherin I command you to do so!_ " chanted Riptide repeatedly.

Lily heard him silently and was skeptical. Could this simple chanting really work? It did not sound like a spell!

Suddenly, the entire room started shaking. The magnificent marble pillars started shaking – the runes on them glowed red. The blood of the six individuals combined to form a river and engulfed Harry who was surrounded by a golden glow.

"Harry!" shrieked Lily starting to move ahead."

"Stay back!" yelled Boris. "Do not move!"

The tempo of chanting reached a crescendo as the snake hissed frantically. Debris started falling from the roof of the room and the runes had changed in color from red to a deep crimson. It looked as though the entire room was bleeding. a loud crack showed that the marble floor had split into two.

"It is no use!" shouted Nagnok. "It is too dangerous! The piece of soul does not want to leave the child!"

Just then, a ear-splitting shriek came from Harry who was now drenched in blood. His scar split open and a blue light surrounded him, similar to the one which had enveloped him that fateful Halloween night. A dark, shadowy shape morphed into a face that was all too familiar and escaped from his scar into the room, trying to get out of there. However, Riptide was too quick for it and the snake transformed into a basilisk and engulfed the shadow. Riptide glowed a sickly green, the color of the killing curse while the others remained rooted to the spot. Finally, after what seemed like ages, the color of his coat subsided to a dull olive green before he morphed back into an adder – identical to the one who had spoken to Lily all those years ago.

The room stopped shaking. The marble pillars lay in ruins, the runes on them glowed a dull orange. Harry lay unconscious on the floor twitching uncontrollably. The blue shield still surrounded him.

"Did it work?" asked Lily, her voice trembling.

"It did." Hissed Riptide. "It was difficult but the part of Tom Riddle's soul that resided in young master is destroyed. The boy is no longer a horcrux. His soul is now his own."

"Oh thank Merlin!" sobbed Lily, sinking to the floor, the excessive blood loss making her feel faint. "When will he wake up?"

"Probably after a day or so. His magical core is completely drained out. The boy is very strong. Most full grown wizards would have been dead by now since their magic would not have been able to support this ritual."

"Can we take him home?" asked Sirius.

"Yes, but you all need to take a blood replenishing potion first. You all have been losing blood for approximately four hours now."

"That long!" exclaimed Remus. "It seemed to last only for half an hour."

"And that is why the dark magic and light magic are both so very addictive." Said Boris gravely. "You lose track of time and ultimately, magic ends up controlling you and you become a slave to it. You can be driven mad."

Sirius shivered. The more he thought about it, the gladder he was to have escaped his insane family.

"Thank you very much for all your help, Nagnok." Said Boris. "We shall take your leave now."

"Just a minute," said Sirius suddenly. "There is one last thing I have to do. Nagnok please cut off all members of my family who are death eaters or associated with the dark arts. If I have to be the next Lord Black, it is about time I made some changes."

 **So that was chapter 6 everyone!**

 **Now I have a question to ask all of you. Would you like me to tell the story covering the whole of Harry's childhood or would you guys like a time jump of fifteen years? Please let me know soon as I am terribly confused as to what I should be doing next!**

 **A big thank you to all of you amazing people who have reviewed, followed and favourited my story. Your support and encouragement really makes my day!**

 **See you next week with the new chapter!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: Same as Chapter 1**

 **Chapter 7**

 **Graduation**

 _Fifteen Years Later_

"Harry James Potter! I am going to KILL YOU!" echoed Elizabeth's voice as her feet clattered down the stairs.

In the dining room, Harry choked on his cereal, his body shaking with silent laughter.

"What did you do this time, pup?" asked Sirius bemused. To his left, Lily glared at Harry mildly her eyes dancing. Remus shook his head fondly, pretending to read the newspaper but actually glancing at the door in anticipation. Harry was ingenious when it came to pranks. They were always perfectly executed and never failed. Moreover, they were never malicious on purpose.

"You will see soon enough." Smirked Harry. "I have a feeling that you will approve. After all, this is just an improvement of one of your own classic pranks that you both played at Hogwarts. I have just given it a modern twist."

The door opened to reveal a girl in her pajamas whose hair was a multitude of colors. The colors changed as she walked from green to blue to fluorescent yellow to purple before settling on a shocking pink.

"Change it back at once." She hissed, her hazel eyes flashing with anger. Her face was thunderous. She looked particularly dangerous with the black wand clutched in her hand but all of it had no effect on her brother.

"Liz," gasped Harry dramatically clutching his chest, "How do you know that I have done this in the first place?"

"Don't lie to me, dear brother. Now CHANGE MY HAIR BACK AT ONCE!"

Harry winced. Elizabeth was as loud as his mum when she was angry. "But Liz, didn't you tell me just yesterday that you wished you were a metamorphmagus? I was just trying to help you fulfill your ambition with a little push along the way. After all, what are big brothers for?"

"For annoying the hell out of little sisters, apparently."

"Liz, language!" scolded Lily. "And Harry, change your sister's hair back."

"But mum, it is my graduation day! Shouldn't everything be a little – festive? However," continued Harry on seeing Lily's glare, "this might not have been the best idea ever. _Finite._ "

Immediately, Elizabeth's hair turned back to a rich coppery red just like her mother's.

"That's it?" asked Remus incredulously, abandoning all pretense of reading the paper. "A simple _finite_ reversed it?"

Harry shrugged. "I am pretty sure it would not have reversed if you had cast that spell, Uncle Moony."

"Yeah. I tried it." Said Elizabeth sarcastically. "Not that it made any difference. How did you manage to do this by the way?"

"I was experimenting last month for my final assignment in charms. I discovered that certain spells could only be deactivated by my magical signature alone. It did not work on the normal everyday spells but this logic seemed to work on those which I had created myself. I suppose that if you do the same, this principle will work for you too."

Liz snorted. "I doubt it. It is not me who has a wand with a core that has never before existed in the history of wandlore."

"That might have been a contributing factor." said Harry sheepishly, his mind going back to the day he had first got his wand.

 _Harry had been seven when he had finally got a wand of his own. Salem's Magical Academy accepted students once they turned seven instead of eleven as Hogwarts did. Boris insisted that this was a good practice as it enabled a child's magical core to strengthen and stabilize at the age of eleven more than that of an ordinary British wizard and then further grow till the child turned seventeen. This enabled the children to have a greater control over their magic._

 _Harry, Liz, Lily, Sirius and Remus had gone with Boris to a John Smith who was an upcoming wand maker who had already created waves in the wizarding world for his customized wands which were rumored to not only be a perfect match for the wizard but also increase the strength of his or her core. He had been making wands for barely five years but already had people shunning reputed names for his craftsmanship._

 _"_ _But surely his true name cannot be John Smith, Boris!" argued Sirius, before they set out._

 _"_ _And why not, Sirius?" asked Boris amused._

 _"_ _It-it is too ordinary! And suspicious!" he exclaimed._

 _"_ _And what if you are right? You cannot deny the fact that there is no wandmaker of his caliber in this part of the world. He is rumored to be even better than your Ollivander. Will you go to a wandmaker who is not as capable as he is just because he does not use his true name? That is a bit hypocritical, isn't it,_ Mr. Hall _?"_

 _Hall. The name they were all supposed to use in public. Along with the glamour charms they were forced to wear to protect their identity. All because he was in hiding from not one but two powerful wizards who wanted to mold him or kill him depending upon their purpose. Not to forget the prophecy that he had come to know of when he was five. However, all this secrecy would be a thing of the past once he went to Salem. The school's magic would prevent any of the teachers or students from revealing his true identity if he wished to do so. The faculty of Salem prided themselves on keeping their students' privacy._

 _After a lot of grumbling on the part of Sirius and reprimands on the part of Remus they reached John Smith's shop. It was situated at Wall Street just a little way across from Gringotts. In fact, the most important shops of wizarding New York were on Wall Street. The muggles had absolutely no idea of the fact that there was a whole other world hidden in plain sight of the busiest place of New York._

 _The shop was nondescript in appearance. Liz huffed. Harry felt like doing the same. Wasn't a wand shop supposed to be more_ impressive _? It was a plain room stacked with wooden boxes which seemed to stretch in all directions. There was very little light in the shop. It looked dark and dingy and smelled of mothballs._

 _"_ _Welcome." Said a voice from the back. "Just give me a second. I will be with you shortly."_

 _The door at the back of the shop opened to reveal a young man with dark brown hair and grey eyes. However, something was off. Harry could feel it. He had this uncanny ability for detecting magic and the apparent youth of the man seemed false. Before his eyes, the man's features shifted to reveal an older face, which was more weathered and careworn with snow white hair – far more fitting for a man of about seventy if not older. However, in the blink of an eye, the image disappeared._

 _"_ _You are not as young as you appear to be." Blurted out Harry before he could stop himself. Mentally, he could hear Riptide chastising him for being rash. "Master, you must learn to be less impulsive!" the snake had often hissed in exasperation before muttering about the folly of mixing the blood of Slytherins and Gryffindors._

 _The man regarded him curiously. A slow smile spread across his face._

 _"_ _Very good, young man. It is few who manage to recognize my true face. It will be a challenge to find a wand for you that is for sure."_

 _"_ _Wait a minute," said Remus, hovering over Harry protectively, "why don't you show us your true appearance?"_

 _The man laughed. "The same reason why you do not reveal yours. Or do you deny that all of you are covered in glamour charms in order to not be recognized? But that is immaterial at the moment. The only thing concerning us is finding this young man a wand of his own. Let us get started. I have a feeling that this will take a while."_

 _John Smith had a different method of finding a wand for its master that was for sure. For one, he was completely against the practice of 'mindless waving with incompatible wands' that might damage his shop, not to forget, waste the time of his clients. He preferred in letting his customers take a walk in the storage room among the various materials and making a wand from scratch depending on what materials appealed to their individual magic._

 _So that was what Harry did. He walked for what seemed like hours among shelves after shelves lined with woods of different kinds. After walking past the fiftieth row, Harry had all but given up. He could see his Uncle Sirius fidgeting, Uncle Moony trying to look unaffected and his mother and sister openly looking at him anxiously. Only his Uncle Boris seemed unaffected. To be honest, there was a gleam of pride in his eyes._

 _On the fifty-first shelf his magic gave a sharp pull, drawing him towards a piece of wood which was blood red in color. He glanced at John who only gave him an approving smile and motioned him to go ahead. So Harry continued walking, his magic drawing him to a vial containing a pearly white liquid, a jet black feather which seemed to shimmer in the light and a block of what looked like molten silver._

 _After all the materials were assembled on the work table, John looked at Harry with something akin to disbelief._

 _"_ _Young man, do you know what materials you have gathered?"_

 _"_ _No sir."_

 _"_ _Then let me explain it to you." Said John, his eyes taking on a gleam of someone who was witnessing history being created. "The wood you have chosen belonged to a redwood tree – the forest of which was completely destroyed in a forest fire. However, for reasons unknown, this tree alone remained. It seems to have imbibed the heat and flames in order to survive. Its bark was nearly disintegrated but its core remained intact._

 _The vial of fluid is unicorn blood which has been willingly given. It is due to this that the liquid is a pearly white instead of a dark brown or black. Unicorns give their blood willingly only to someone who is pure at heart. If taken forcefully, the blood can curse a person to a fate worse than death. An old friend had given this vial to me about forty years ago as a gift and I had just kept it in the shop on a whim but never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that anyone would actually ever use it to make a wand. The black feather is of a phoenix. While the metal is molten platinum."_

 _"_ _Phoenixes do not have black feathers!" exclaimed Remus, furrowing his brow._

 _"_ _True. A phoenix is a creature of fire after all. Its plumage is usually red, orange and yellow." Agreed John. "However, it has been documented that a single black phoenix did exist in wizarding history. It disappeared five thousand years ago. Some say that it was a dark creature and its plumage reflected that. However, I and a few others are more inclined to believe that the phoenix represented every part of fire but the flame – namely smoke, ashes and charcoal which are often more dangerous than the actual fire itself. All things considered, I would say that this feather will be much more potent and durable than that of an ordinary phoenix just as smoke and ashes remain long after a fire has been put out."_

 _"_ _Then how do you have the feather?" asked Lily. "I am pretty sure that it is illegal."_

 _John grinned. "And who will tell the ministry about it? Your son is an intelligent boy. If anyone asks him what his wand core is, he need not say anything apart from the fact that it is a phoenix feather. After all, the books detailing the black phoenix have all been destroyed several years ago and hence nobody can expect different type of phoenixes to exist."_

 _"_ _How very Slytherin of you!" laughed Sirius. "What about the platinum? As far as what I know, metal is never used to make wands."_

 _"_ _Honestly speaking, I have no clue myself. Metal in general is unyielding and hence most unsuitable for making wands. It hinders the flow of magic. I guess I will have to see myself just how the wand comes together."_

 _And that was that. After two hours, Harry's wand was ready. It was crimson with the platinum criss crossing it giving it a spider web like appearance. Harry took it reverently in his hand. He had used his father's wand before but this was different. He could feel his magic flowing through the wand. He gave it an experimental wave. The shop was flooded with golden flames which took the form of a phoenix which disappeared in a shower of sparks._

 _Harry took a step back in shock. There was a stunned silence in the shop. Remus was the first one to recover._

 _"_ _Congratulations, cub!" he said warmly, patting him on the back._

 _"_ _Yes, a wonderful display of magic indeed." Said John thoughtfully. "Take good care of this wand young man. There is not one like it that has been ever made before. Unicorn blood and phoenix feather used together has given your wand two cores and the platinum added to it has made it pretty much indestructible. no fire can ever burn it and I am pretty sure that the wand will try its best to resist being snapped. I doubt that the wand will work for anyone but you. As for the redwood, your wand has a natural affinity for fire. Very uncommon for wood, I must say. And I know what I am talking about having made wands for a very long time indeed."_

 _"_ _Well," interjected Boris, "we should take your leave now, Mr. Smith. Thank you for all your help. It was enlightening to say the least."_

 _"_ _No problem at all, Mr. Rivers." Said John as they left his shop. "It was a pleasure to help a boy as bright as Harry here. Until we meet again then."_

 _"_ _Wait, how do you know his name?" demamded Sirius but he was talking to thin air. John Smith and his shop had disappeared._

Yes. John Smith had disappeared the day Harry had got his wand and no one had heard from him since. It had discomfited them all for months. After all how did a complete stranger know him when they had gone to great lengths to remain inconspicuous? However, nothing had happened after that. It was as though John Smith never existed. If Harry did not have his wand as proof, he would have probably believed the same.

The wand had worked perfectly for Harry. It was an extension of his very own consciousness. It also had the uncanny ability of being able to be summoned back to him even if his opponent had it. He had left it on his table once and it had reappeared in his wand holster fifteen minutes later. John Smith had truly made a remarkable wand for him and in Harry's eyes, that itself made it clear that the man was not his enemy. He had often wondered what John had meant by saying that they would meet again but no matter how much he thought about it, he could not find an answer.

"It is about time you got ready, cub." Said Remus, breaking him out of his reverie. "The ceremony starts at eleven and it is already nine. It will not do for the valedictorian to be late himself now, would it?"

"Yes, bro. You need to get going." Said Liz sweetly – a little too sweetly for Harry's taste. She was up to something. He looked at her suspiciously but she returned his gaze as innocently as possible.

If anything embarrassing happened to him at the graduation ceremony, Harry was willing to bet his Firebolt 2 that his little sister would be responsible for it.

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Salem Magical Academy was located at Long Island Sound. Unlike its European counterpart who did not accept students before the age of eleven, Salem started its pupils' education when they were seven hereby producing stronger and more disciplined students than Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It was hence, no small wonder that many purebloods preferred sending their children to this institute.

The biggest accomplishment of Salem had undoubtedly been educating Harry James Potter who had quickly proven to be the best student they had ever had in the school's five hundred year history. Graduating today, a year ahead of his peers, Harry had already invented two potions, three spells and had written an article each for _Transfiguration Today_ and _Charms International._

It had been sheer good luck that Sirius had come to him that fateful day, mused Remus as he sat in his office. If he had not done so, Harry's life would probably be in shambles with Dumbledore's manipulations.

Life as a whole had been pretty good once the basic procedures of relocating to a new country had been sorted out. Remus now was the Defence Against Dark Arts Professor at Salem. His 'furry little problem' was no issue here. There was no discrimination of any sort. In the States, werewolves were considered respectable members of society just like vampires. It was the same in most other parts of the world too except for Britain and it was obvious that Dumbledore was the one responsible for the disparity.

Sirius and Lily had taken up the mantle of Lord Black and Lady Slytherin with ease. Along with Riptide, they had trained Harry and Elizabeth in all the rules of etiquette that were expected from the heirs to four Noble and Ancient Houses. Sirius had been true to his word. After cutting off all his relations who were associated with the Dark Arts only a handful of people remained including Andromeda Tonks, her daughter Nymphadora and to their great surprise, Narcissa Malfoy. Cutting off his relations meant that the members disowned would feel a sharp decrease in their magic. They would also not be able to rely on the Black family magic anymore. That had dealt a great blow to Voldemort's forces, many of which were members of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black.

Harry was now a powerful wizard, as good as any auror and Elizabeth, his goddaughter was as good as any seventh year although she was only fourteen.

Remus smiled as he went to the graduation theatre with the other teachers. They had done right by James, he knew that. He loved Harry and Elizabeth as though they were his own children and he knew that Sirius felt the same way. The graduates were all lined up in their gowns and hats of royal blue. He saw Lily, Sirius Boris and Elizabeth in the crowd. Harry was excitedly talking to Sadie, Mason, Larry and Georgiana who were all the top students of the class.

Harry had been notorious for the pranks he had played in class. He had taken after James in that aspect for sure. So had Elizabeth for that matter. The prank wars in The Refuge were legendary with Sirius and him often taking an active role in them much to Lily's despair. However, the main difference was that while the Marauders had at times crossed the line especially where the Slytherins had been concerned, Harry never did that. His pranks were always funny, never malicious and never with the intent of humiliating someone.

The biggest achievement for Remus however was the fact that inspite of all the danger, manipulations and prophecies that were going to be a part of Harry's life in less than a year, Harry had not been made bitter by them. The four of them had tried their best to give Harry as normal a childhood as they possibly could under the circumstances and had succeeded to a great extent.

Harry was well aware of the fact that Tom Riddle would want to kill him as soon as he stepped on English soil and just as Albus Dumbledore would want to use him as an expendable tool. They had tried to delay their return to England as much as possible but they all knew that the time was fast approaching. They had all tried their best to prepare Harry and Elizabeth for what was waiting for them but ultimately, it was Harry's battle to fight.

Still, today at the graduation ceremony, Remus could not help thinking that they had done well. Harry was a born leader. His classmates respected him and not just because he was the Boy-Who-Lived. The students at Salem could not care less about that. Surviving the killing curse had been a stroke of luck and Harry's friends were smart enough to know that. They treated everyone equally irrespective of their parentage as the Americans had no pure blood mania like the English did. The only thing that they respected was talent and Harry and Elizabeth both had that in spades. It was no wonder that Harry had been unanimously chosen to be valedictorian.

The Headmistress Alison King rose. She was a tall woman with honey blonde hair and light green eyes. The King family was a prominent one in the American Wizarding Society and its members had all devoted their lives to the running of Salem for the past three hundred odd years. Salem had flourished under their leadership. The entire hall fell silent in anticipation.

"Welcome to the five hundredth and second graduation ceremony of Salem Magical Academy. My colleagues and I could not be prouder of the class of 1996 who have truly been an exceptional batch and a pleasure to teach. I am sure that they will leave their mark on wizarding society and make the world a better place in these dark times. Now, without further ado, I would like to call upon Mr. Harry James Potter to address all of you."

Harry walked up to the stage. In his blue robes, he truly looked every bit of a young Lord. Draco Malfoy would have been jealous.

"Thank you Headmistress King for those kind words. I am sure that on the behalf of the class I can say that we could not have asked for a better set of teachers to teach us at Salem. We will always be grateful for all that you have taught us during the past ten years. Salem is not only a place to learn spells and potions but also an institute that teaches us the more important lessons of life such as humility, compassion and kindness. Anyone can teach you magic but it is only a select few who can shape you to be a good human being. As we all venture into the world today as proud graduates of this institute, we will always try to follow the school's motto – 'Loyalty, Courage, Sacrifice'. Thank you!"

The entire auditorium applauded. Lily was openly crying. Elizabeth and Sirius were clapping hard enough to bring the roof down. Remus felt his heart would burst with pride and happiness. He discreetly dabbed his eyes. The rest of the ceremony passed in a blur. Scrolls were given out faster and faster as all the two hundred members of the class graduated. Finally, it was over. The new graduates of Salem were now young men and women of the world.

"Congratulations, pup!" said Sirius, engulfing him in a hug.

"Oh Harry!" sobbed Lily, throwing her arms around him. "My little boy has graduated! Why, it seems like it was only yesterday that you were only a year old playing with your toy snitch and now you are all grown up."

Harry gently patted her on the back. "Aw, mum. Stop crying. It is not like I have failed or anything. I wouldn't do something as bad as that now, would I?"

"So very sentimental, dear brother." Snorted Liz as their mother started laughing hysterically while trying to ruffle his hair. "Congrats, by the way," she also hugged him. "Although you may be annoying and irritating most of the time, I couldn't be prouder."

"Thanks, Lizzy." Said Harry, fondly. "And I am sorry for the prank today. It probably wasn't the best time to try that."

"No problem. It is not like it was anything permanent after all." Smiled his sister. This was just the way they were. One would play a prank and then instantly apologize sometime later. The siblings loved and respected each other too much to purposely try to humiliate the other.

"Congratulations, Harry." Said Boris and Remus, coming up to them.

"The Headmistress was just telling me how quiet the next year will be without you and your friends," laughed Boris. "She is sure that she will actually be quite bored."

"I am sure that she will be relieved in the end." Said Lily, shaking her head. "Though with Elizabeth still around, I will not be surprised if I continue to receive letters from poor Alison."

"Mum! The Marauder legacy must live on!" exclaimed Liz. "You cannot deny me my heritage!"

"Because being a member of four Noble and Ancient Houses is not heritage enough." Said a voice behind them.

"Blaise!" laughed Harry whirling around to face a dark skinned wizard who was casually leaning against a stray pillar. "When in Merlin's name did you get here?"

"Just an hour ago, mate. Congratulations on graduating."

"How are you? I hadn't heard from you for months. I thought maybe the death eaters had something to do with it."

Blaise nodded gravely. "Things are worse in England than what you might expect. I think it is better if we spoke of this once we are alone."

"Certainly." Said Harry glancing around. There were too many ears here, too many unknown people.

"How is Amanda?" asked Lily. "Has she come with you?"

"No mother is still in London. It was not safe for her to travel in the current political climate. I will explain more later."

Lily looked worried. Amanda Zabini was a good friend of hers.

"Alright then," said Sirius. "What are we waiting for? Let us go home. It looks like we have a lot to discuss."

"Lead the way, Sirius." said Blaise. "By the way Harry, your robes are orange and purple. Just thought you would like to know."

Looking at his sister bent over with mirth, Harry realized that she had got her revenge. After all, nobody messed with Elizabeth Dorea Potter and got away with it - not even supposed saviors of the wizarding world.

 **So that was Chapter 7 everyone! I hope you liked it.**

 **After receiving all your suggestions I have decided to continue the story with Harry being a sixteen year old with flashbacks revealing important events in his childhood. I hope that satisfies everyone.**

 **Do let me know if there are any particular events you want me to write about in his childhood. I would welcome the suggestions.**

 **Once again, a big thank you to everyone who has reviewed, followed and favorited this story.**

 **See you next week with the next chapter!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: Same as Chapter 1**

 **Chapter 8**

 **Blaise Zabini**

If someone would have told Blaise Zabini when he was eleven that he would be friends with Harry Potter, he would have scowled and told the person that he was confounded or had inhaled too many potion fumes. After all, the wizarding world knew for a fact that Harry Potter had disappeared after the attack on Godric's Hollow and had not even come to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the year 1991. That had been a big blow for the Headmaster. Blaise had seen the despair on Dumbledore's face that evening though he had tried his best to hide it.

However, five years later Blaise could proudly count himself among the few friends of Lord Harry James Potter-Slytherin-Peverell-Gryffindor and he considered Harry as his brother in all but blood. He had first met Harry when he was thirteen. His mother had taken him to New York after his disastrous second year in which the Chamber of Secrets had been opened. No one knew what exactly had happened, but muggleborns had been petrified and rumors said that Ginny Weasley, the first Weasley ever to be sorted in Slytherin had been responsible for the attacks.

Blaise was not convinced. He had seen Dumbledore's phoenix setting fire to a diary while the Headmaster looked on the night before school had broken up for the holidays which looked an awful lot like the one the Weasley girl had been writing in since the beginning of the year. His mother had often warned him that the Headmaster was not to be trusted and was not as innocent as he seemed. After the Chamber incident, Blaise had to agree. If the diary was indeed in some way connected to the attacks, it was the Headmaster's duty to make sure that the entire blame did not fall on an eleven year old girl who was already shunned by her entire family but the twins for not being sorted into Gryffindor.

Once in New York, Amanda Zabini had insisted on visiting Salem Magical Academy where her childhood friend was the Headmistress. Alison King had been a regular visitor when Blaise was a child and asked his mother to consider sending Blaise to Salem for his magical education. However, Amanda had no choice in the matter as Blaise's father who had been killed in a death eater attack had written in his will that his son would have to go to Hogwarts for his education if he was to continue being his heir and retain his magic.

Being a half-blood, Amanda did not have any means of fighting this provision and so was forced to send her son to a place which had steadily become more and more unsafe from her son's first year.

Amanda had tried to take Blaise with her to Salem that evening but he had flatly refused. He was more interested in exploring the city as visiting another school seemed way too boring. While his mother was busy visiting her friend, he slipped out of the hotel. He managed to walk all the way to Manhatten before he realized that he was lost. He had no clue how to go back. He tried to retrace his steps but every street looked identical. He could not risk using a point me spell as he was sure that the Americans, as liberal as they were would not ignore the blatant use of magic by a thirteen year old.

His mother would be back not before eight as she was to have dinner with her friend. He had just ducked into an alleyway to avoid a speeding car when he found himself face to face with four hulking boys who were in their late teens. One of them had a pocket knife and he was casually swishing it in front of Blaise's face. The other three closed around Blaise, leaving no space for him to make a run for it.

"Well, well, well," leered the first boy. "What do you think you are doing here all alone in the city, kid? Lost your mommy and daddy, have you?"

The others laughed raucously.

"You need not worry, pretty boy," said one of the others. "Just empty your pockets and we will be on our way. That way no one needs to get hurt."

Blaise was trapped. Two of the boys had held him by the arms while another had tied a rag around his mouth so that he could not scream. He was pretty sure one of the reasons the boys had targeted him was because of his clothes which practically screamed 'RICH BRAT'. He had around five Galleons in his pockets but he knew that the ruffians would not be satisfied by it. After all, they were muggles and had no clue what a Galleon even was.

Even then he emptied his pockets. The boys picked up the Galleons gleefully.

"Is this real gold kid?'' asked one wonderingly. "What did you do? Rob a bank?"

"Hey, he had got something else with him too!" exclaimed the first guy. Quick as a flash, the guy had Blaise's wand in his hands. "What is this now? A stick? Now why would you have something like that? It is pretty flexible isn't it? I think I should break it. What do you say, kid?"

Blaise was nearly in tears. His wand could not be destroyed. With a sudden bout of Gryffindor courage, he tried kicking the boy and managed to hit him on the shin. The boy howled and slapped Blaise so hard that he felt his cheek bleed. He struggled futilely. He saw the last boy drawing out a gun, his face twisted with rage. He was done for.

" _Stupefy!"_ yelled a two voices and Blaise saw a man and a boy emerging from the shadows. The flashes of red light hit his captors and they slumped on the floor. The man knelt down in front of him and healed his cheek while the boy handed him his wand.

"Are you fine?" asked the man gently. He had brown eyes and blonde eyes and the boy resembled him greatly. They must be father and son. The boy seemed to be around Blaise's age. He looked at him appraisingly.

"Much b-better." Stammered Blaise. "What about the muggles, sir? Won't they remember everything that happened once they awaken?"

The man smiled. "No need to worry. We will obliviate them." And saying so, Blaise watched in astonishment as a boy of his age performed the memory altering charm effortlessly.

"That is a NEWT level spell!" he exclaimed before he could stop himself. "How can you do it?"

The boy looked at him curiously. "You are from Hogwarts, aren't you?" he asked. When Blaise nodded in confirmation he continued, "In your school you are made to segregate spells randomly on basis of their apparent difficulty. That is not true. In my school we are taught groups of spells on basis of their similar origins and depending upon our own aptitudes for a particular subject. As charms is one of my strengths, the teachers did not feel any need to hold me back in that area."

"Do you go to Salem?" he asked.

"Yes, I do. However, I am surprised that you know of it. Most of you English have no clue that our school even exists."

"My mother is friends with Miss Alison. In fact she is at Salem at the moment. I kind of snuck off on my own to explore the city. Sheer stupidity on my part."

"Alison King?" interjected the man. "What is your name, young man?"

"Blaise Zabini."

"Alright Blaise Zabini. Let us take us to your mother."

And that was that. The mysterious man and boy took Blaise to Salem where they met his mother who was crying with relief once she heard the story of what had transpired. Once she had calmed down, she turned to the duo.

"I don't know how to thank you both." She said gratefully. "You probably saved my son's life. The house of Zabini owes a life debt to you both. What are your names?"

The pair looked oddly hesitant. Alison turned to them. "You can trust them." She said softly. "Amanda has been my friend for many years. If it makes you feel better, I am sure she will not mind swearing a vow to protect your secret. After all, it might be of great help to have a source of information in England to tell you what is actually going on there."

The man seemed to be waging an internal battle with himself. Finally he sighed.

"Alright Headmistress. But only if both of them swear a vow to not reveal our identity to anyone in any manner until we decide that the time is right and ask them to do so. Also, a vow of loyalty would be appreciated."

And so Blaise had to swear a vow of loyalty to two people whom he did not know until a couple of hours ago which in principle went against everything he had ever been taught as a Slytherin. The moment the vows were sworn, the duos appearance changed. Their hair darkened till it was raven black. The boy's eyes turned a vivid green while the man's turned a silvery grey. There was no doubt about it – they were Harry Potter and Sirius Black in flesh who constituted the much-needed third side of the war just as his mother had hoped for.

And it was in this manner that Blaise and his mother became spies for the Potters about the going ons in England. Initially, Blaise had been hesitant about it but Sirius had taught him occlumency that vacation so that his mind would be safeguarded from Dumbledore at the very least. By the time a year had passed, the relationship between the two families had gone much beyond that of a contract – they had actually become friends and for the first time in his life, Blaise felt like he belonged. He considered Harry like a brother and there was no doubt in his mind that he wtould do anything for him as long as it was in his power to do so.

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Blaise and Harry went into the latter's study once they returned to The Refuge. The rest of the family filed out into the sitting room without any questions. They were now used to the secrecy of the discussions between the two of them. In fact, it was for the best. After all, it was Harry's fight in the end and the time was ripe for him to gather his forces on his own and listen to their council. Blaise was Harry's man - not the rest of the family's. He reported to Harry and Harry alone.

The study was just as Blaise had seen it a year ago. On the wall behind Harry's chair hung a picture of his parents on their wedding day. Sunlight streamed through the window that gave a view of the Quidditch pitch. The walls were lined with books and the work table itself was full of photographs of Harry, Liz, Lily, Sirius, Remus and Boris. It was obvious that Harry valued his family the most of all.

"So what happened, Blaise? Why were you out of touch last year?" asked Harry curiously.

Blaise sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"You know that after Peter Pettigrew stole your blood from the wizarding blood bank Voldemort came back to power last summer. After that, it has just been a never ending spree of killing and muggle baiting not to mention the rift between Slytherin and the rest of the rest of the school which has only been inflamed by Dumbledore."

Harry gritted his teeth. "Why was the blood bank so poorly guarded in the first place? It is well know that every wizarding child has to deposit a few drops of his or her blood upon their birth. As I am presumed to be missing it was obvious that Voldemort would target it to complete his ritual. Were the aurors blind?"

"Not blind, more like bought by different people. Dumbledore controls a few of them along with the grudging agreement of Fudge while the rest are all Voldemort's puppets. Hogwarts was never safe but last year it has been more like a battleground. Dumbledore has enforced this ridiculous rule that all people with 'questionable connections' have to have their mail checked and guess what? This only includes all the Slytherins."

"Even Draco Malfoy? Wasn't the old fool having some hare brained scheme about converting him to the side of the light?"

Blaise laughed scornfully.

"The Headmaster checks all the mail himself. And yes, a week after this announcement, Malfoy was exempted under 'special circumstances' undoubtedly due to his daddy's connections. The rest of us were not so lucky. My mail has been checked everywhere – even if I send it by a post owl. The old man has even tried to read my mind some half a dozen times last term. I must thank Sirius for teaching me Occlumency. If it were not so, I would probably have been mind raped by now. Most of us believe that Dumbledore might even have us under house arrest by next summer. As it is, we are always tailed by someone where ever we go."

"So how did you get here then?"

"My mother helped. The guy tailing us this week was Gregor Bolten's brother – her third husband. He was much more interested in following her than me. Anyway, I can't be away for long. I need to get back latest by tomorrow."

"Don't tell me they still believe that your mother was responsible for all her husbands deaths!"

"They do, sadly. After all, the spell that my father had used was border line dark magic. It is not that she can go up to the Wizengamot and say that her first husband had made her perform a ritual that in the event of his death if my mother were to marry again, if the man was to hurt her in any way he would die. They would most likely throw my mother into Azkaban for murder."

"And it does not help that they turn a blind eye to domestic abuse especially if it is a pureblood who has done it. Bloody stupid archaic laws!"

"So yes, this might very well be the last time I will be able to meet you unless you decide to come to England. Which is not a good idea, honestly speaking. From what I hear, Dumbledore is desperate to get you on his side. He even decided it was a good idea to involve the Umbridge woman in his plan saying that you would work for the ministry like a good little boy."

"And dear Tom? Has he realized how many of his precious horcruxes have been destroyed yet?

"Not a clue. From the boasting of Malfoy and his cronies I have gathered that the Dark Lord is drunk with victory. He has not even bothered to look for the prophecy and has hence not realized that you have substituted it for a fake and believes you to have gone into hiding having no idea whatsoever about the magical world. He believes that even if Dumbledore were to find you, you would be no match for him. Speaking of which I have got a little present for you. Happy graduation."

He slid a cloth bag onto the table. Harry took it warily – and dropped it as though it had burnt him. A wide grin spread across his face.

"Is this what I think it is? How in Merlin's name did you find it?" He opened the bag to reveal a diadem which was crowned by an oval shaped blue sapphire. Lines of silver emerged from the gem in all directions giving the diadem an appearance of an eagle in flight.

Blaise grinned. "My mother had her contacts. Apparently, a Tom Riddle had applied for the Defense Against Dark Arts Position in Hogwarts about fifty years ago but Dumbledore refused to appoint him. From what you told me about Voldemort's attachment to places of his childhood, Hogwarts seemed like a good place to hide a horcrux. After all, not even the Headmaster knows all the castle's secrets. One of the house elves told me about a come-and-go room on the seventh floor."

"You mean the Room of Requirement?"

"How do you know about it?"

"Sirius told me. It was left off the Marauder's Map as by the time they found the room, the Map had already been confiscated by Filch. So what did you tell the room? Show me Voldy's horcrux?"

"A little more subtle than that. I asked for the darkest object in the castle to reveal itself. A small room no bigger than a closet opened to reveal the diadem. It took it at once and hid it in my room for the rest of the term after putting the required protective charms to prevent it from influencing me like what happened to the Weasley girl. Once home, my mother took it to Gringotts until I would get the time to meet you."

"A true Slytherin at heart! Thank you so much Blaise. Now only a single horcrux is left – the snake."

"Right. The ring, locket and cup came to you and Sirius directly due to your inheritance of the Slytherin and Black vaults. Dumbledore destroyed the diary. And the diadem is here which Riptide can easily destroy. It is a good thing you managed to get the part of Voldemort's soul that was in the cup to talk to you and tell you all his secrets before its destruction. Though I suppose it had no choice with you being his superior in terms of the line of succession."

"Exactly. Now let me call Riptide to destroy this fragment as well. _Riptide! You are needed."_ He hissed the last part in Parseltongue.

The snake appeared almost instantaneously.

" _You called, Master?"_

 _"_ _Yes. I have got another one for you to destroy."_

The snake huffed in annoyance. " _Another one? Was the boy stupid to make so many? Looks like the Gaunt madness was too deeply ingrained in his blood for him to stop at one. Six horcruxes! Utter madness!"_

Riptide grew in size and once again turned into a basilisk.

"Close your eyes, Blaise." Warned Harry. "Riptide is very intelligent but even he might lose control."

Riptide opened his jaws and swallowed the diadem whole. A black aura surrounded the snake which disappeared after a few minutes. Riptide spat out the diadem whole again onto the table and changed back to his original form.

" _It is done Master. The horcrux is destroyed."_

 _"_ _Thank you, Riptide."_ Hissed Harry and the snake disappeared as quickly as it had come.

"It is safe now Blaise." He continued looking at the other boy who had his eyes tightly shut.

"It is fucking scary every single time you do it Harry. Riptide could very well turn violent."

"But he hasn't and that is what counts. After all, what is life without a little risk?" smirked Harry boyishly.

"So only Nagini is left now." Concluded Blaise. "And that is going to be the most difficult one. Voldemort never lets that snake out of his sight. There is no way I can bring it gift wrapped to you like the diadem. The only way to kill it will be in battle and for that you will have to come to Britain which is not an option."

"Actually, it is very much an option at the moment." Interjected Harry. "After certain events that have taken place last week, it seems that I have no option but to return sooner than I had hoped to."

"That is sheer lunacy! I have no doubt that you will be able to hold your own against him but won't it be much safer to return once the snake is dead?"

"Which you have said yourself is unlikely to be destroyed unless I take an active part in the matter. Moreover, there is something else to be considered at the moment. I am betrothed."

If Harry had told Blaise that he had decided to go to Australia and teach surfing, the boy would have been less surprised. Blaise stared at Harry like a gaping fish. His eyes bulged.

"Shut your mouth, Blaise before a fly goes in."

" _Betrothed!_ " gasped Blaise. "As in promised in marriage to someone?"

"I believe that _is_ the general definition of being betrothed."

"Are you mad? You are contemplating marriage in times like these? Why can't you wait until the war is over and done with?"

"Who says I am entering this by choice?" asked Harry tightly, sliding a document across the table.

"What is this?"

"A marriage contract. After my emancipation last week, I was called to Gringotts. Nagnok gave this to me. Apparently, I am betrothed to a Daphne Claire Greengrass who I think has just finished her fifth year at Hogwarts. Do you know her?"

"Daphne? You are betrothed to _Daphne_?" Blaise burst out laughing. "Oh Merlin! This is the funniest thing I have ever heard! Do you know what a reputation Daphne has in school? She is the Slytherin Ice Queen. Even Malfoy dare not approach her for the fear of being hexed! She is one of my friends at school and let me tell you, she is not going to take this marriage contract lying down. If I know her she will fight it."

"That's the thing. She can't do that. This contract was not made by me or my parents. It is about two fifty years old. There was once an alliance between the Houses of Potter and Greengrass and a marriage contract was made saying that the first born son of the House of Potter would marry the first born daughter of the House of Greengrass. As luck would have it, the Potters and Greengrasses always had sons only. No daughters at all. There was a chance in 1873 when the Potters had a daughter and the Greengrasses a son but due to the wording of the contract, although both parties were willing, the match was not considered to have met the conditions stipulated in the contract."

"And this is the first time the conditions are met." Said Blaise sympathetically. "Considering how old the contract is, I suppose that the magic binding it has only strengthened with time. There is no loophole, is there?"

"Not at all. Whoever drew up this contract left no stone unturned. Sirius went to his lawyers but they too agreed that there is no way out but to follow it. If not, both Daphne and I will lose our magic."

"So you need to get married right away?"

"No. Only the engagement ceremony needs to be carried out within a year of any one of the members being of age. Due to my emancipation, it needs to be done by thirty first July of next year. The marriage needs to take place within five years of the engagement. I still have eleven months to figure everything out."

"You mean eleven months to make your fiancée not want to hate you for taking away her freedom to marry whoever she pleases."

Harry glared at him, his eyes flashing. "Dammit Blaise! It is not as though I have a choice in the matter! I am only trying to do what is the best for her. You think it is easy having the responsibility of someone else's life in my hands? Do you know how guilty I will feel if anyone were to find out about this and something were to happen to that poor girl? I have to protect her and the only way I can do so is by marrying her."

The books on the shelves were vibrating in response to Harry's magic being unleashed. The window behind his chair shattered.

"Hey, hey, hey. Calm down, Harry." Said Blaise soothingly. "Take a deep breath. Control your magic and listen to me – _you are not responsible for everyone's life!_ Daphne is smart. She is pretty good at dueling and I doubt she will let you beat yourself over something that you have no control over. Once she has got over the initial shock, I have no doubt that she will want to help you in any way possible and she will not take being locked away in an ivory tower very kindly."

The shaking suddenly stopped. Harry slumped in his chair, utterly defeated.

"What do I do, Blaise? Who will tell her about this?"

"I will. The Greengrasses are good friends of the Zabinis. It is not uncommon for us to visit each other during the holidays. If you want, I will give her a letter explaining everything."

"You will do that?" asked Harry hopefully. "I will be attending Hogwarts this fall along with Liz for sure. We think that it is about time we returned to sort out this mess. We will be there in a couple of weeks time. I was thinking it might be a good idea to meet Daphne before school starts in order to get to know each other."

"Good idea. She will probably appreciate it. Don't worry too much about the whole thing, Harry it will all work out."

Harry grinned suddenly. "Yes, I suppose so. It will be fun to see Dumbledore's carefully laid out plans crumble to dust. The Boy-Who-Lived betrothed to a Slytherin. That should really make his day."

 **So Chapter 8, everyone! I hope that you are enjoying reading the story as much as I am writing it!**

 **Daphne will be introduced in the next chapter, so thank you for your patience regarding that. Do give me any suggestions that you might have regarding the plot of the story.**

 **I want your opinions once again now: Which house should Harry be sorted into at Hogwarts?**

 **Once again, a big thank you to all of you who have reviewed, followed and favorited this story. You guys are brilliant.**

 **See you next week with the next chapter!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: Same as chapter 1**

 **Chapter 9**

 **Letters**

 _Greengrass Manor, Kent, England_

There was a thin mist surrounding Greengrass Manor. A young girl of sixteen was gazing out of one of the windows that were facing the extensive gardens. She was beautiful with reddish-blonde hair that was upto her waist and had deep blue eyes. School was supposed to start in a few weeks and Daphne Greengrass was dreading it. The last year at Hogwarts had been just horrible. There was the indignity of having her mail checked by the Headmaster, the pressure that her family was facing to choose a side in the upcoming war and the persistent tries of Draco Malfoy for a betrothal contract. It did not matter how many times she rebuffed him, he just could not take a hint.

Lucius Malfoy had sent her father a letter last week as him to 'think about an alliance of the House of Greengrass with the House of Malfoy'. Her father had a month to reply to it but he had no clue how to do so without losing his life. It was after all, only a thinly veiled threat. If they refused Malfoy's offer, it would be signing their death warrant. If they agreed (which her father would not do in a million years) she would be no better than a whore used for Draco's amusement. He was a chauvinistic pig after all, lording over everyone due to his daddy's influence. Either way, her life would be ruined.

Her mother had suggested that they move to Spain but her father had refused. He did not want to uproot all of them from their home. But was staying here really worth it? Astoria was just fourteen and largely unaffected by the war until now, but Daphne had a feeling that it would not be so. Voldemort had spread havoc over the summer. Fudge had been replaced but the entire framework of the ministry now rested on denial and fear. Amelia Bones had been one of the few people brave enough the take steps to halt Voldemort's progress but she had been murdered. Her niece Susan Bones was the only surviving member of the House of Bones. Daphne's heart went out to the poor girl. She had already lost her parents in the first war and had now lost her aunt as well. At least Daphne had both her parents.

After the attack on Amelia Bones, no one else dared to raise their voices against Voldemort's reign. They had realized that it would be as good as signing their death warrants. This would only increase Malfoy's self-importance next year, though Daphne with a sigh. As though being a prefect was not enough to inflate his ego.

If it were not for Blaise and Tracey, Daphne would not have survived her fifth year. They had helped her avoid Malfoy as far as possible throughout the year. Tracey had even hexed the pompous git once. The look on his face had been comical.

"Daph! Blaise will be here anytime now!" yelled Astoria, her voice travelling upstairs. "It is already five."

Daphne jerked away from the window suddenly. In her musings she had forgotten than Blaise was supposed to visit them today. She knew that her parents approved of him and her mother had hinted more than once that they would make a good match. However, neither Daphne nor Blaise were interested. Daphne considered Blaise to be the brother she never had and Blaise was half in love with Tracey although he always denied it. Daphne did not believe him for an instant. She remembered the time Blaise had turned into a stuttering mess when he had seen Tracey in a dress for the first time in their fourth year. Tracey too, had blushed till the roots of her hair on seeing him in a suit. They would be good together but were just too blind to see it. Also, the prejudice that Tracey faced in Slytherin for being a half blood did not help matters.

Daphne had just left her room to go downstairs when her sister barreled into her, sending them both crashing to the floor.

"Tori! Watch where you are going." Scolded Daphne, annoyed.

Both sisters were identical in appearance but that was where the similarities ended. While Daphne was the Ice Queen of Slytherin, cold and unforgiving Astoria was warm and exuberant. She was probably the only Slytherin to have a Hufflepuff as a friend and have dated a Gryffindor. As much as Daphne yearned to be as carefree as her sister, she knew that she could not afford to be so in public. It was her Ice Queen persona that protected her sister and her from the other Death Eaters-in-training in her house. That and the fact that everyone in her house still remembered the time she had put Adrian Pucey in the hospital as a third year for 'accidently' slipping a hand up her skirt. Only her family, Tracy and Blaise knew how she really was.

"Sorry, sis. I had just come to get my broomstick from my room. I wanted to go flying. I was in a hurry."

"You are always in a hurry."

"Just as you act like a sixty year old instead of sixteen. Honestly, you need to lighten up a bit at least when you are at home. No need to keep up your Ice Queen mask here too."

And with that Astoria was off to her room. Daphne descended down the stairs slowly. It was easy for her sister to criticize her. _She_ was not the one who Draco Malfoy wanted to marry.

The fireplace flared as she entered the sitting room and Blaise emerged out of it.

"Blaise! I missed you." She flung her arms around him. A sisterly hug obviously, but she would not put it past her mom to interpret it as something else entirely.

He chuckled. "Missed you too Daph. I am sorry I didn't visit sooner. I was out of the country."

"How did you do that? Were you not being followed everywhere as well?"

He gave a half smile. However, it did not reach his eyes. "I am not a Slytherin for nothing you know. Let us just say that I was lucky. There were some friends I had to visit urgently and some work I had to do. I got an opening and I slipped away."

"What is wrong?" she asked. "You seem worried. Did something happen?"

Blaise rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

"Actually, something has happened that involves your family. I think that it is better if you call your parents as well. What I have to say is of interest to them too."

"Mum is out shopping but dad is in his study. We can go there if you want."

A few minutes later, Daphne and Blaise were in Cygnus' study.

"Now what is the matter, Blaise?" asked Cygnus kindly. He liked Blaise. He was a perfect embodiment of the characteristics of a Slytherin unlike most of the other members that existed in the house now.

Blaise silently took out two letters from his robes. One was addressed to Cygnus and the other to Daphne.

"I think it will be better if you read these right away. They should explain everything."

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Albus Dumbledore was a very unhappy wizard. He did not know what to do! The stupid boy had disappeared into thin air fifteen years ago and all his efforts to find him had been in vain. Nothing short of a miracle now would bring Harry Potter to Hogwarts. It had been beyond infuriating when the minister had withdrawn the warrants for the search of Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Lily Potter last year. His logic had been that the boy's mother had every right to take her son where ever she wished until he was of age and the fact that the brat's godfather was the heir of one of the oldest and most powerful Houses in England did not hurt either.

The war was escalating and there was nothing Dumbledore could do to stop it. That was only part of the truth however. If Dumbledore wanted, he could very well slow down Tom Riddle but he refused to do so due to his stubbornness that it was only Harry James Potter who could defeat him by being the sacrificial lamb.

School was to start in three weeks' time and there was still no sign of the elusive boy. A knock on his door brought him out of his reverie.

"Come in!" he called out.

Minerva McGonagall swept into his office looking very pale. In her hand was a letter which she promptly slid in front of him.

"Albus, you have to read this. This came by owl today and I have no clue how it managed to slip through the wards undetected. When I tried to cast a charm on the owl and the letter to reveal where they originated from, I drew a blank."

Giving the witch his best grandfatherly look possible, Albus opened the letter eagerly. When he saw the name of the sender, he nearly whooped with joy and his eyes twinkled merrily. The letter read:

 _Dear Professor McGonagall,_

 _As you are the Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and handle new admissions every year, I felt you were the best person to write to with regards to this matter._

 _I was born in England but left the country when I was a year old. Both my parents were students of Hogwarts themselves. You might know them as James Potter and Lily Evans. I have completed my schooling uptil my fifth year abroad but due to certain circumstances wish to return to my homeland this year and complete the rest of my education here itself. I was wondering if you could admit me and my sister to your institution for our sixth and fourth year respectively._

 _I know that this is a big favor to ask of you as Hogwarts as a rule does not accept transfer students but I was hoping that you would make an exception for us. Our scores of the previous year are enclosed in the letter._

 _Kindly give us a reply as soon as possible as we will have to buy our school supplies soon. If you write your reply on the back of this letter, I will send an owl to collect it by tomorrow._

 _Thank you._

 _Regards,_

 _Harry James Potter_

The results of both the siblings were enclosed below.

 ** _Harry James Potter_**

 ** _Ordinary Wizarding Levels_**

 _Transfiguration O_

 _Charms O_

 _Herbology O_

 _Defense Against the Dark Arts O_

 _Astronomy E_

 _Potions O_

 _History of Magic E_

 _Arithmancy O_

 _Ancient Runes O_

 ** _Elizabeth Dorea Potter_**

 _Transfiguration O_

 _Charms O_

 _Herbology E_

 _Defense Against the Dark Arts O_

 _Astronomy E_

 _Potions O_

 _History of Magic A_

 _Care of Magical Creatures O_

 _Ancient Runes O_

"The boy has nine OWLs Albus! Not many of our own students can manage that. I think that Hermionie Granger was the only one to do so in this batch and that too, she had an 'A' in Defense. And his sister is a pretty good student too. Did you even know that Harry had a sister in the first place?"

"I did not, Minerva. However, we must accept the boy to Hogwarts. It is obvious that he is talented and such talent needs to be honed."

"But isn't it awfully fishy? Sending a letter which cannot be traced and asking me to write a reply on the back of the same parchment? Why all this secrecy?"

"Alas! I don't know why, Minerva. But I am sure that young Harry has reached out to us at last. I suppose that Sirius, Remus and Lily must have kidnapped him all those years ago and he has somehow managed to escape them. We need to keep him safe."

"Surely not! Lily loved Harry dearly. She would not harm him."

"Then why keep him away from England for all these years? War changes people and brings out the worst in them. Our owls could not reach him with the Hogwarts letter when he was eleven. It is obvious that he must have been well hidden or rather – kept as a prisoner by the people he trusted the most. We must only be thankful now that the boy and his sister are safe. It is a good thing that he knows that we will always be there to help him. You should prepare two extra beds in Gryffindor for them. It is obvious that is where they will be sorted."

"Alright then, Albus. I will write him a reply at once."

Saying so, Minerva walked out of his office with a spring in her step undoubtedly thinking about the two new cubs she would get.

Albus watched her go with a smile on his face. All was not lost. The boy had come to him. It would be easy to turn the siblings against their mother since it was apparent that they had already left her. He would take the role of the boy's guardian and have access to the Potter vaults once more. It had been a rude shock to find that the goblins had refused to let him access them a month after the attack.

The bricks were slowly falling in place. Yes, everything would go as planned.

If Dumbledore had been a little more observant, he would have noticed that the results of the Potter siblings were of the year 1992. The glamour charm on them wore off as he was putting them in one of his drawers. However, he never did as he put the results in his drawer. Neither did he see the surname of the children change from Potter to Potter-Slytherin-Peverell-Gryffindor.

hphphphp

The manor was silent when Fiona Greengrass returned from Diagon Alley. It was eerie to say the least. At the very least, Astoria would have been creating a ruckus with her new Nimbus.

A cold fear gripped her. Had the manor been attacked by death eaters at Malfoy's behest? Maybe he was impatient of waiting any longer. She drew her wand.

"Hello? Is anyone there?" she called out, her voice quavering at the end. The door of the sitting room opened to reveal Astoria. She ran to Fiona and clung to her.

"Mum! You are back. Thank goodness!"

"What is wrong, darling? Where is everyone?"

"In daddy's study. Blaise got a letter for him and Daphne. They were locked in for hours and just called me in. They were just going to tell me what this was all about when we heard you come. Daphne sent me to fetch you so that she would not have to explain the whole story twice. They are scaring me, mum! Dad is silent, Daphne is pale as a ghost and Blaise just looks guilty as though the entire thing is his fault."

Together, mother and daughter went to the study. The occupants were just as Astoria had described. They were still as statues.

"What in Merlin's name has happened?" demanded Fiona. "Cygnus, what is wrong?"

In answer, her husband handed her two letters.

"You and Astoria need to read these."

The first letter had the original Black court of arms which had not been used for the past hundred years at the very least – a viper entwined around a raven which had symbolized the loyalty of the House of Black to both Slytherin and Ravenclaw.

"The original Black coat of arms?" breathed Fiona. "After all these years? Didn't they change it to a pair of vipers to symbolize their loyalty to Slytherin alone some hundred years ago?"

"Just read it Fiona." Said Cygnus tiredly.

The letter was written in an elegant script. It read:

 _Dear Cygnus,_

 _Honestly speaking, I have no clue how to begin this letter. It has been fifteen years after all since I have last contacted week, upon my godson Harry's emancipation it was revealed that there exists a betrothal contract between him and your eldest daughter Daphne which dates back to approximately two hundred and fifty years ago. It was an alliance made between the House of Potter and the House of Greengrass back when your House was on the side of the light and not neutral as it is now._

 _According to the contract, the betrothal has to take place within a year of any one of the participants coming of age. The marriage has to occur within five years of the betrothal. If the contract is not followed, both Harry and your daughter lose their magic._

 _I know that the situation that we are in is less than ideal, the war in Britain notwithstanding. However, we have no choice in this matter. I had my lawyers look for a loophole of any sort but there was none to be found. Please do not take this as an insult against your lovely daughter. The fact of the matter is that Harry is on Voldemort's priority list since the time he was a baby. From what I have heard from Blaise, the situation has not changed in the least. Hence, any association with my godson would undoubtedly put your daughter in grave danger which is not something that Harry, Lily, Remus or I would want in the least. However, that is how it is._

 _We shall arrive in England on the fifteenth of August and would like to meet you all before Hogwarts starts. As Harry and his sister Elizabeth will be attending Hogwarts this year as well I thought that it might be a good idea if Daphne and Harry could get acquainted before the term starts. Your daughter must have surely informed you how very volatile the situation in Hogwarts is at the moment._

 _I am afraid the Harry's joining will only fan the flames further as he is the heir of Slytherin and Gryffindor both. Dumbledore will certainly try to thwart this engagement at every step as well as I doubt he will want the rift between Slytherin and Gryffindor to be healed any time soon._

 _Cygnus, as your friend I beg you not to tell Dumbledore about this letter. The man is not to be trusted in the very least. I must warn you that runes have been put on this letter that will not allow you to speak about its contents to anyone except for your wife, daughters and Blaise. Kindly destroy this letter once you finish reading it and inform Blaise if you are willing to meet us before the first of September. He will convey your message._

 _Also, please do not doubt Blaise's loyalty. If you give him a chance, he will be able to explain his entire role in this affair. All I can say is that your daughter is lucky to have such a good friend._

 _Regards,_

 _Sirius Black_

 _P.S. I solemnly swear that I am up to no good_

The next letter was even more spectacular. It had not one, but _four_ court of arms on it. There was a phoenix, a stag, a lion and a snake – the Peverell, Potter, Gryffindor and Slytherin court of arms respectively. The letter was addressed to Daphne. It read:

 _Miss Greengrass,_

 _It is with great apprehension that I am writing this letter to you. We have never met each other in our lives and all that I know about you is only through your classmate Blaise who also happens to be a good friend of mine. Hence, I hope you can appreciate the predicament I am in at the moment as there is a matter of great importance that I need to tell you about that concerns the both of us._

 _Upon my emancipation last week, I was informed of the fact that we are to be married due to a contract that was made between both our families about two hundred and fifty years ago that stated that the first born son of the House of Potter and the first born daughter of the House of Greengrass were to be married in order to cement the alliance between the two houses. This contract had to be followed else both the members would lose their magic. As fate decreed, these conditions were never met until today._

 _The other details of the contract have been outlined by my godfather, Lord Sirius Orion Black in the letter he has sent to your esteemed father. What concerns me is the fact that you might feel cheated of the right to choose your own husband and resent me for that. Please understand that while you might have every right to do so, I myself had no clue of this marriage contract until my sixteenth birthday last week._

 _Hence, I have to request you to give me a chance at the very least so that we might get to know each other better. If we have to get married, it is for the best that we become friends at the very least if not something more. I understand from Blaise that marriage contracts are pretty common in England although they are in most cases considered to be a barbaric and cruel practice. I can hence understand the apprehensions that you might have regarding the one that you have been forced into, that too without any prior knowledge of it._

 _I will be arriving in England with my family by the fifteenth of August and would very much like to meet you before school starts. My sister Elizabeth and I will be attending Hogwarts this year as well and from what my family and Blaise have told me, it might be impossible for us to interact there directly especially if I am not sorted into Slytherin. It might be especially difficult if Professor Dumbledore gets wind of this contract and tries his best to negate it – not that it is possible, the contract is iron clad. Hence, all things considered, I think it might be more feasible for us to at least get acquainted before school starts._

 _Another thing which you need to know is that the moment I step on English soil, Voldemort will try his best to murder me. This in turn puts everyone who is close to me at risk. Due to this, I will completely understand if you wish to keep our engagement a secret until his demise._

 _In case, he is still at large at the time of my seventeenth birthday then I am afraid that we will have no choice but to perform the engagement ceremony by then as it needs to be performed within a year of any one of the members getting emancipated or turning seventeen. In the event that you wish to get away from the war I shall again not stop you. I can give you and your family safe passage to America if you wish._

 _Please destroy this letter after reading it and do not, in any case show its contents to Dumbledore. The man is not to be trusted. I have placed runes on the letter which will prevent you from telling anyone about its contents except Blaise and your parents. I may seem paranoid to do so, but believe me it is necessary. Kindly tell Blaise whether us meeting before school is to start is acceptable to you. He will relay the message to me. Also, please do not doubt his loyalty as a friend to you. Please give him a chance to tell you his side of the story._

 _Yours sincerely,_

 _Harry Potter-Slytherin-Peverell-Gryffindor_

"Daph! You are so lucky!" exclaimed Astoria once she finished reading.

"How in Merlin's name am I lucky?" snapped Daphne. "What is the bloody difference? Instead of having to marry Malfoy I have to marry Potter instead. Just another marriage without my consent!"

"Because Harry is just like Malfoy, isn't he?" said Astoria sarcastically. "The guy is willing to let you keep the engagement a secret and even leave the war at which he will be at the forefront! How many guys would be willing to do that?"

"And that excuses the fact that he has put runes on his letter regulating whom I can talk to about it! I am sure that is so very noble of him too!"

"You very well know that is for your safety and his." Said Cygnus. "The runes used are terribly intricate and even prevent anyone from accessing them from your mind. You are not stupid, child. You are clever enough to know how disastrous this information can be if it falls into the wrong hands. Harry is requesting you to understand the situation, not ordering you like Draco did. Draco did not even _bother_ to write you a letter. His father addressed it to me directly."

"Your father is right." Said Fiona sternly. "You are being childish. Harry is your age and he is the one who has the burden of facing Voldemort. You do not see him complaining about that in the very least. He is not blaming you for this arrangement, why on earth should you blame him?"

"Daphne," said Blaise tiredly. "When I went to meet him, do you know what Harry was the most worried about? It was not about how he would face Voldemort or how he had been shackled to a marriage with a stranger. It was about how he would keep you safe – a person who is a virtual stranger to him. Believe me, you are lucky to have him."

"But that is crazy! He must be resenting me at some level!"

"And what would that achieve?" questioned Cygnus. "Even if he does resent you isn't it much better to accept the situation with a smile on his face instead of just making it difficult for the heck of it? It is not like anything would change. Daphne, I know that the incident with Malfoy has made you have a bitter outlook to the institution of marriage in general but do not tar every man with the same brush. James Potter loved his wife dearly and if Harry is even half the man his father was, you are very lucky.

It is very rare for a marriage contract to culminate in a happy marriage and choosing your own husband is even rarer. This is the kind of society we live in and you must accept it. From what I can gather, Harry will give his hundred percent in order to make the best of the situation. It will be petty and self destructive on your part to not do the same."

"I am being stupid, aren't I? Stupid and childish like a typical pureblood daughter." Said Daphne ruefully. "Your friend deserves better Blaise."

Blaise laughed. "You two will get along perfectly, that is for sure! Both of your will demean yourselves and praise the other to the skies."

"How did you meet Harry in the first place?" asked Astoria curiously.

"That is a very long story, Tori. I will tell that to you tonight but first please tell me, will you all be willing to meet him and his family before school starts?"

"Yes." Said Daphne firmly. " I think that it will be good for both of us." Out of the corner of her eye she saw her mother and father give her a surprised look. Her sister looked on proudly. "It is not his fault any more than it is mine and he is a good friend of yours as well. I trust your judgment and let us face it, Harry cannot be worse than Malfoy."

"No he isn't." said Blaise, his eyes dancing. "Now if you would like, I can tell you how exactly I met Harry as a thirteen year old. I think that all of you will find it interesting to say the least."

 **So Chapter Nine at last! Do tell me how you all found it.**

 **A big, big thank you to all you amazing people who have followed, favorited and reviewed this story. You guys are really motivating!**

 **See you next week with the next chapter.**

 **Btw the post script in Sirius' letter is due to the fact that Cygnus knew the Marauders in school pretty well**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: Same as Chapter 1**

 **Chapter 10**

 **Meeting Daphne**

"So, did it work?" asked Remus at breakfast.

"Absolutely." Smirked Harry, waving a letter with the Hogwarts emblem at him. "The old fool swallowed the bait hook, line and sinker. Here, read it. It might interest you to know that a compulsion charm had been placed on it that was removed by Trippy _before_ he gave it to me." he tossed the letter to Remus who caught it expertly. All those years of playing Quidditch with Harry and Liz seemed to have paid off.

The others leaned forward eagerly too. The five of them were at Slytherin Manor in the Wales. They had arrived there the day before from New York. After a lot of deliberation they had decided to leave Boris there in order to handle things at that end. It had been difficult for all of them. New York had been their home for fifteen years.

However, Slytherin Manor was incredible in its own way. It had a quiet elegance to it that reflected the tastes of its first and only occupant – Salazar Slytherin. He had built it himself after starting Hogwarts with the other three founders and had lived in it till his dying day. After his death, the manor had been abandoned by his son who much preferred Little Hangleton to the Wales.

Slytherin Manor was unlike any other house that Harry had ever seen before. For one, it was less like a house and more like a labyrinth. The hallway coiled and twisted like a snake – revealing cavernous rooms in nooks and crannies. Riptide had immediately fallen in love with the place and had vanished into the thick forest surrounding the estate. There were two house elves in the manor – Trippy and Mimsy who had both fallen over themselves in eagerness to help the last living descendants of their 'dear Master Sal'. Harry was sure that Salazar Slytherin would be rolling in his grave on hearing this.

The manor had about fifty rooms which included three potion labs, two dueling rooms and an indoor _and_ outdoor Quidditch Pitch. The library was enormous – with even more books than what Salem had. A few hundred of them were in Parseltongue and Harry had taken it upon himself to read all of them before school started. One of them had Salazar Slytherin's memoirs which detailed the location of a chamber below the floors of Hogwarts that had been constructed for Slytherin and his heirs. Harry had a feeling that a similar room also existed for the heirs of Gryffindor and was determined to find it as soon as possible once he set foot in Hogwarts.

They were now in the sitting room enjoying breakfast. It faced the garden where various varieties of flowers were in bloom although it would soon become autumn. The manor had a stasis charm on it which enabled them to control the temperature of the gardens in order for the flowers to survive even when snow blanketed the entire ground.

"Maybe it is best if you read it out loud, Uncle Remus." Remarked Liz. "It will save time."

Remus smiled. "Good idea, Lizzy."

He cleared his throat and began to read.

 _My dear Harry,_

 _It was wonderful to hear from you at last after all these years. I had often wondered what had become of you when you did not attend Hogwarts in your first year. I can only hope that you and your sister are safe now after having escaped the clutches of your mother and her friends. You may not know this, but as a magical child, your mother had no right to take you with her after your father's demise due to her not being legally married to your father. I know that this must be a great blow to you but the fact of the matter is that there was no marriage that was recorded between James Potter and Lily Evans. As you are the last male survivor of the Potter line, your mother essentially kidnapped you – a crime that is seen to be unforgivable in most of society's eyes._

 _After your father's demise, it was I who was appointed as your magical guardian as per your father's will (I have a copy of it with me as proof). After the attack on your family fifteen years ago, I tried my best to find you but to no avail. However, there is no need to worry. You are both safe now that you are in England. Needless to say, I will be more than happy to take care of you and your sister so please do not hesitate to contact me if you both need anything. I will certainly do all that is in my power to help you both._

 _You must have made previous arrangements regarding your stay in England but I would still very much like to meet you before the term starts. Do let me know when that meeting will be possible. As for admission to Hogwarts, it will be a pleasure to enroll your sister and you for your fourth and sixth years respectively. Once again, do not hesitate to contact me if you are in any need of help. If you want, I could take you to Gringotts and introduce you to the goblins there who are good friends of mine. I am sure that will make handling your finances that much more easier._

 _With Best Wishes,_

 _Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore_

 _Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

Deafening silence filled the room once Remus stopped reading.

"So what do you think?" asked Harry cheerfully. "Is he crazy or stupid or both?"

"That-that bastard!" growled Sirius. "Marriage is not legal indeed! I will bet my entire fortune that he had forged Prongs' will and destroyed the record of the marriage. Manipulative scoundrel! And I am sure that the goblins at Gringotts absolutely _adore_ him after he tried to steal money from your vault."

"Calm down Sirius." Said Remus, his eyes hard. "We still have a copy of the marriage certificate and James' will. If it comes to that, we can produce the evidence in front of the Wizengamot. Dumbledore will not be stupid enough to pursue this there. Most probably, he has just written this in order to turn Harry against us all."

"What I can't understand is this – how in Merlin's name did Dumbledore derive this entire tale of shit from the letter that Harry sent him? Is he deluded? The letter was just a simple one – standard enough." Demanded Liz angrily. "Not a single word of it implied that we both had been held prisoners or had escaped. All that it said was that we wanted to join Hogwarts as transfer students."

"The most concerning point is that it is _Dumbledore_ who had replied to a letter that was addressed to McGonagall." Pointed out Lily quietly. "So what now, Harry? Are you going to meet him?"

A feral smile crept over her son's face. "Of course mother. It will be most rude of me to not do so. However, when this happy event takes place you all will be with me as well. After all, our dear Headmaster did not specify that I had to come _alone_."

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Daphne was worried. Scratch that – she was terrified. In the matter of a few hours her dear fiancé was coming for dinner. Today was Sunday, August 18th and the day had finally arrived. She cursed herself for the millionth time. What on earth had made her agree to meet him? Had she been confounded? Had Blaise cast a compulsion charm on her?

Deep down, she knew that she was being ridiculous. The truth was that she had been intrigued. She wanted to meet the man who had taken the time and effort to write a letter to _her_ about the betrothal instead of letting his godfather take up the matter directly with her father as was the norm in pureblood circles. Not many wizards gave that much respect to witches in English pureblood society.

However, she now felt like banging her head against a wall. Later that fateful night, Blaise had told them all about Harry James Potter-Slytherin-Peverell-Gryffindor. Merlin! The name itself was a mouthful. And if her friend was to be believed, her fiancé was the 'Slytherin-most Slytherin who had ever existed' and was 'a marvel with a wand who could bend magic to his whim'. That sounded terrifying to say the least.

What kind of person was Harry really? And where had he been for the past fifteen years? Blaise had been very tight lipped about Harry's life before he had stepped on English soil. He had also refused to answer any questions that her father had put regarding Lily Potter, Sirius Black and Remus Lupin. He had said that they should ask Harry about all these topics themselves.

So, as of now, Daphne knew virtually nothing about her fiancé. This made her terribly uneasy. After all, the first lesson every Slytherin first year was taught was to not enter any unknown situation as far as possible. And she was doing exactly that.

She glanced at the clock. It was five to seven. Time to go downstairs. She surveyed herself once in the mirror critically. She was wearing a dress of sky blue silk with an empire waist and a ruffled neckline. Her hair was tied in an elegant knot and flowed in messy waves from the nape of her neck. She wore a small diamond pendent in the shape of a seven point star suspended from a platinum chain around her neck. She had worn low pumps on her mother's insistence – 'You are meeting your future _husband_ after all my dear!' and hated it. According to Daphne, high heels of any kind had been invented as female torture devices.

Her mother squealed girlishly as she descended down the stairs.

"You look so beautiful, darling! Harry will not be able to take his eyes off you!"

Even her father seemed a little teary eyed.

"When did you grow up, Daffy?" he said gruffly. "It seems like it was just yesterday that you were eleven and starting Hogwarts and now you are nearly an adult – a beautiful woman ready to be married."

"Yes sis." Chimed in Astoria, her eyes dancing with happiness. "You look wonderful. Harry is really lucky to have you."

Daphne could not take it anymore. She clenched her fists, shaking with rage.

"Oh, for Merlin's sake! It is not like I am marrying the guy right now! I have just agreed to meet him for dinner with you all as a _family_. I don't have to marry him the instant he arrives through the floo! Stop acting as though you are going to lose me. If Harry thinks he can just make me marry him whenever he feels like it without my consent then it does not matter how good he is with magic I _will_ hex him into next week. If he expects me to be a typical good little pure blooded wife then he is sorely mistaken."

"Duly noted, Miss Greengrass." Said an amused voice behind her.

The four of them froze. Daphne whirled around to see a young man of about seventeen emerging from the fireplace. When she looked at him, her mouth went dry. The guy was _really_ handsome. He could probably pass off as a male model in those trashy muggle magazines that her friend Tracey was always reading. He already looked the part with the bottle green dress robes that he was wearing. He was about six feet tall, lean and muscular with untamable raven black hair sticking up in all directions. His best feature was his eyes. They were a deep sea green dancing with laughter. Daphne could feel herself getting drawn into them. Involuntarily, her lips curved up into a sheepish smile. She immediately felt ashamed of her outburst.

The fire flared again to reveal a man of in his late thirties with jet black hair. He had stormy grey eyes. His face broke into a smile on seeing them all.

"Cygnus!" exclaimed the second guest happily moving towards her father and shaking his hand warmly. "It is good to see you."

"It is wonderful to see you too, Sirius." Murmered her father his eyes still fixed on the boy.

The fire flared again to reveal three more people. One was a man who looked to be about forty-five. He had sandy brown hair streaked with grey and warm brown eyes. Behind him was a woman of also in her late thirties. She had auburn hair and green eyes just like the young man who had first arrived. The young girl next to her was around Astoria's age. She had auburn hair too, just like her mother and laughing hazel eyes.

"Oh where are my manners!" exclaimed Sirius shaking his head. "These are Harry, Remus, Lily and Elizabeth." He continued, introducing each of the new arrivals in turn.

"It is a pleasure to meet you sir." Said Harry respectfully shaking her father's hand. To be honest, Daphne was surprised that he had such good manners and knowledge about pureblood etiquette. If he had been on the run for the past fifteen years, it was truly creditable. Also, he did not seem offended in the least by her little speech.

"Likewise." Her father replied warily, undoubtedly worried as to how much he had heard when he had arrived. "Please, call me Cygnus. We are to be family after all."

Harry then moved on to her mother. "Mrs. Greengrass. Words do not do you justice." He bowed. "I can see where your daughters get their beauty from."

Fiona smiled warmly. "Such a charmer! Just like your father. It is wonderful to meet you my dear. Please, call me Fiona."

"And this must be Astoria." He continued, turning to her sister. "It is an honor to meet you young lady. Blaise has told me a lot about you."

"Is it true that you turned all the Gryffindor's hair pink last term?" piped up his sister curiously.

Astoria looked at the guests surprised. From what Daphne knew all the three grownups had been Gryffindors in school. However, there was no malice in any of their faces. As a matter of fact, Sirius looked terribly amused.

"Yes I did." She said at last, a bit defiantly. "But it was only because some seventh years hexed a Slytherin second year the day before."

"Cowards." Said Liz, shaking her head. "They deserved it. What potion did you use by the way? Blaise said that you asked the house elves to put it in their breakfast."

And just like that, Astoria had found a new best friend.

Daphne smiled fondly at her sister.

"I knew they would get along like a house on fire." Said Harry. She looked up and found him standing in front of her. "They are very alike from what Blaise said."

"I am sorry for what I said." Blurted out Daphne. Although what she had said was somewhat true it had been unbearably rude on her part. "I-I didn't mean it."

Harry cocked his head curiously. "Didn't you, Miss Greengrass? From what I have noticed, people seldom say something they do not mean. Even the best of lies have a kernel of truth in them."

"Okay, so maybe I did mean a little of it. But not the _whole_ thing. I was just frustrated by the entire situation in general. Now, I know that it is not your fault but you cannot deny that most of our laws are made by a patriarchal society where witches hardly have the same rights as wizards."

"Look, I mean every word of what I said in the letter. I will not mind in the least if you want to keep this entire arrangement a secret. I would not think any less of you if you did so."

Daphne shook her head stubbornly. "Not at all. I might be a Slytherin but I don't want to do so. I have a few selfish reasons of my own for doing this as well."

"Very well. Now may I escort you inside? The others are all going for dinner." he offered her his arm.

"You may. And please call me Daphne. Miss Greengrass just sounds stupid."

Harry laughed. "Of course Daphne. But only if you call me Harry."

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When Harry first arrived at Greengrass Manor, the last thing he had expected was to find his future bride-to-be glaring at her parents, her hands clenched in fists and yelling at them about how she would not be a typical pureblood wife. Blaise had told him all about Daphne - her thirst for knowledge, how her cold, standoffish personality was only a mask she wore in school and how she loved her family fiercely. That itself did sound different from your usual everyday witch but Harry could not shake the feeling that Daphne Greengrass would not be anything else but another girl who wanted nothing else in life but to be a trophy wife. These ideas were completely shattered the moment he had walked through the fireplace and Harry could not be happier.

Sirius had warned him about how most pureblood daughters were expected to behave in society and to be honest, the very thought had repulsed him. He doubted he could tolerate a simpering air head attached to his arm, hanging onto his every word. From the time he was thirteen, he had promised himself that if he survived the encounter with Tom Riddle, he would have a marriage like his parents did – one based on love and respect, and genuine affection.

Those plans had been thwarted once he had come to know of the betrothal contract and a small part of him had been enraged that he once again had no say in another decision regarding his future. The bloody prophecy had already forced him to walk a suicidal path. He had hoped that Daphne and he could at least be friends by the time they married – he dared not hope that they could be something more due to the fear of having another of his dreams dashed.

Daphne had been much more than what he had dared to hope for. It was obvious that she was a strong willed individual who loved her family dearly. She was clearly very protective of her little sister and also had a quiet intelligence about her. She was also breathtakingly beautiful. Harry had been entranced by her reddish gold hair that had glinted in the firelight and her deep blue eyes that were very nicely brought out by her dress.

If the entire family had not been too busy staring at him in horror, Harry was certain that he would have stammered his way through like a tongue tied idiot. Thank Merlin that Sirius had arrived to make the necessary introductions.

All of them were now sitting around the fireplace after a wonderful five course meal. Mrs. Greengrass had really outdone herself. On one side of the room, Liz and Astoria was laughing gaily, undoubtedly planning a prank of some sort. His mother and Fiona had also become good friends and Cygnus, Sirius and Remus were reminiscing about their years at Hogwarts.

They had all left Daphne and Harry by themselves on the love seat that was in one dark corner of the room. Daphne looked ready to throttle her mother when she had seen that.

"You know Daphne," he began. "The reason we have been made to sit next to each other is so that we can get to know each other better. Not behave as though we have had the _Petrificus Totalus_ cast on us."

She turned towards him, startled. Her mouth twisted into a bitter smile.

"You are right, Harry. So what do you want to talk about? To be honest I have a lot of questions I want to ask you. However, I doubt that you will answer any of them."

"Why do you say so?"

"Because all you men are the same. You believe that witches have no right to information that does not concern them. I suppose you think that as you have already written a letter to me it waives my right of asking you anything else."

"I will not deny that I do not feel that I can share everything with you at the moment since we have barely known each other for a few hours. However, there is one thing I can tell you. A war is coming soon, much worse than the First Wizarding War and I will be at the center of it."

Daphne looked at him incredulously.

"And you have no choice in the matter? I find that hard to believe! Surely, if you can manage to avoid You-Know-Who, you need not take part in the war at all."

Harry laughed bitterly.

"It is not so simple. Let us just say that this was not my choice to make."

He turned to face the fire. He could feel his fiancée's gaze drilling a hole in his back.

"If you are just going to continue giving vague answers just enough to placate a simpering idiot then I am afraid that that is not going to endear you to me or earn my trust at all." She said at last, her voice hard.

"And how can I trust you immediately?" countered Harry. "I don't know anything about you and do not intend to make you swear a vow of loyalty to me like a slave. You are to be my wife, not a subordinate. I don't intend to treat you like my inferior. The idea sickens me as much as it bothers you. Hence, the only way I can tell you everything about me is by you earning my trust over time." His green eyes were blazing like emeralds by the end of his speech.

Daphne was speechless. Never, in all her life had she imagined that she would meet a man like Harry. A pureblood who did not want just a trophy wife! She must be dreaming!

"Alright," she conceded, feeling more ashamed of herself by the minute. "Then what _can_ you tell me as of now?"

"Well, I have already completed my education. I have been brought up in the States. I love my family more than anything in the world and would even die for them. I hate Tom Riddle and will not rest till he is dead. I also distrust Albus Dumbledore and have no intention of joining the light side."

"Who is Tom Riddle?"

"Why your dear Dark Lord of course. Did you know that he is a halfblood?"

"Seriously?" asked Daphne amazed. She wished that her fellow Slytherins could hear this. So many purebloods had been kissing the robes of a halfblood! The thought was comical.

"Yes." Said Harry, a faint smile on his face. "His father was a muggle."

"If only me housemates knew of this!"

"Well, it will be pretty easy to make them 'accidentally' find out right? It shouldn't be too difficult."

"Are you sure that your parents were Gryffindors? You act a lot like a Slytherin."

"Well, my mother is a direct descendent of Salazar Slytherin, you know." For a moment, Daphne was sure that Harry was kidding. However, when his expression did not change, she gasped.

"But she is a muggleborn!"

"And all muggleborns are related to an ancient pureblood family. They just have to take the trouble of taking the genealogy test to prove it." Her fiancé retorted.

"Does this test even exist here?"

"It does. However, it is not advertised due to Dumbledore. After all, if all muggleborns are given their rightful place in wizarding society, where would that leave the leader of the light?"

"You really don't like him." She observed shrewdly.

"More like detest him." He continued conversationally. "Now, I have answered some your questions and in return I would like to ask you one. Why do you want to reveal our arrangement? I am pretty sure that a true Slytherin would not agree to that unless she has something to gain from it."

Daphne scowled. "You picked up on that, didn't you?" On seeing his expecting look she continued, "Draco Malfoy has got this idea that he wants to have me as his wife. His father has sent over a marriage contract to mine which we have to answer before school starts. If we don't, it is as good as signing our death warrant. Malfoy's cronies will be too happy to attack our home. However, if it is made known that I am promised to you, Malfoy might hesitate. Therefore, I want our contract to be known as publicly as possible if you don't mind so that my family remains safe."

"Intelligent of you. Well, from my side, I have no problem if the Daily Prophet even runs a front page article regarding our betrothal. However, there is one thing you might not have considered in this. Making your position clear as my fiancée publicly will only increase the threat of Tom attacking you. Now, I can make arrangements to have your property warded adequately, but in Hogwarts, you might be threatened. Do you really want that?"

"Look, as you said, the war is imminent. As and when that comes, you cannot expect me to not fight. I will. My father refused to leave England last year when this entire mess started and I now see his point. I might be a Slytherin, but I am not a coward. How do you think I will feel if we go to France for example and our home is razed to the ground? Even if we are alive, I don't think I will be able to forgive myself for not even trying to protect it. Neither will the rest of my family."

"So you are saying that if I have to fight Tom, you will be at my side fighting with me?" asked Harry, his eyes wary.

Daphne hesitated for a moment.

"I will not lie and say 'yes' immediately. However, if I find that I approve of what you are doing then yes, I will fight with you. I will not aid you just because you are to be my husband if you end up becoming another Dumbledore. There is one thing I can promise you though, I will not knowingly go against you or help anyone harm you. The four of us can promise you that. We don't betray family. By the way, if you are not planning on joining Dumbledore or Tom how in Merlin's name do you expect to fight the war?"

"By creating a third side - you might consider it to be a grey side in some sense. My idea is simple. I don't classify magic as light or dark. Even a simple spell like _Wingardium Leviosa_ can throw someone off a cliff just as a cutting hex can slice an apple. Magic is dark or light depending on how you end up using it. That is what I want to tell anyone who joins me. I also do not believe in this nonsense of muggleborns that Dumbledore has propagated. A person is magical only if their ancestors are. It is a proven fact. This is what I believe in. Tom is one extreme of the spectrum - obsessed with blood purity and dark magic. Dumbledore is at the other end - the champion of muggleborns and the light side. I am somewhere in the middle trying to strike a balance between the two ends."

"That makes sense. I suppose you are also not a believer in the myth that all Slytherins are evil?"

"Considering that my best friend and my fiancée are both Slytherins? Not a chance." laughed Harry.

"One last thing. If you have already finished your education, why are you joining Hogwarts?"

"There is a muggle saying 'keep your friends close and enemies closer'. That is exactly what I am doing. The only way that I stand a chance of winning this war is by getting to the heart of the situation which is Hogwarts."

"Smartly played Mr. Potter-Slytherin-Peverell-Gryffindor. And how do you know that I will not go to Dumbledore and tell him all about your plans the moment you leave my home?"

"You could not do so even if you wanted to, Daphne. After all, Dumbledore has discriminated against your house since your first year. I doubt that you will tell him anything. You are more likely to tell dear Tom all that you know but considering that your father disowned your uncle Fredrick when he took the Dark Mark, I think I am safe."

Daphne did not know whether she should laugh or cry. Harry Potter-Slytherin-Peverell-Gryffindor was something else for sure. Looking at his green eyes dancing with laughter at her expense, Daphne realized that there was a very great possibility of her falling for him. Now that was a frightening thought for sure.

 **So Chapter 10, everyone! I hope you liked the meeting between Harry and Daphne.**

 **Harry should start attending Hogwarts by about Chapter 12 or 13 as of now - there are still a few loose ends to tie up before school starts.**

 **Also, your opinions of which House to put Harry in are as follows:**

 **Slytherin: 16**

 **Ravenclaw: 13**

 **Hufflepuff: 3**

 **Gryffindor: 1**

 **It is pretty obvious that Ravenclaw and Slytherin are the most liked. However, I am myself REALLY confused between the two of them as they both work pretty well the way I want the story to progress. So a little help would be appreciated in order to clear the confusion in my mind.**

 **Also, a huge thank you to everyone who reviewed, followed and favorited this story. Your comments siriously make my day!**

 **See you next week with the next chapter!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: Same as Chapter 1**

 **Chapter 11**

 **The Wizengamot**

Albus Dumbledore smiled to himself. It was time for yet another Wizengamot meeting. He was looking forward to it greatly. It was the perfect time to reveal that Harry Potter had contacted him for help. If he could manage, he would walk out of the meeting today with not only the guardianship of the boy and complete control of his vaults but also with an order for the arrest of Lily Potter and Remus Lupin. Sirius Black was somewhat doubtful. Dumbledore was not sure that even he could go against the Black name and win. Still, two out of three was not bad at all. His eyes twinkled madly. Finally, his patience had paid off. The boy was now going to be under his complete control.

Dumbledore left for the meeting at nine via the floo. He was about an hour early but he did not mind in the least. The Ministry always had some interesting gossip to share. He swept into the courtroom that was used for the monthly meetings in his fluorescent green robes. Some of the members had already started arriving. He saw Tiberus Smith and Griselda Marchbanks arrive and take their seats. Slowly, the other members started trickling in. They were mainly Lords of minor houses. The Lords of the ancient houses especially those that had sided with Voldemort such as Nott and Malfoy usually arrived just a minute before the session was to begin in order to make a grand entrance.

Elphias Doge walked up to him. His apparent 'true friend'. Doge had no such distinction in Dumbledore's mind except for the dubious honor of having been the first person he had successfully manipulated to follow him like a sheep.

"Albus! It is good to see you!" said Elphias, shaking his hand enthusiastically. "The matter of Amelia Bones was a nasty business – very sad indeed."

"Indeed. A tragic affair. I cannot believe it myself. She was such a brilliant witch." Replied Dumbledore, in his sad grandfatherly way. Honestly speaking, he could not care less for Amelia's death. He was more concerned with the fact that her niece was now the Head of the House of Bones. He had to bring the girl on his side. The House of Bones was an old one with considerable political influence. He had always hated the fact that Amelia had never listened to him completely. Hopefully her niece would be more malleable.

"Her niece Susan is now the last member of the House of Bones." Prattled on Elphias. "It is rumored that she will be attending the meeting today. Such a heavy burden for a young girl to carry. And she is not even out of school yet. She is a Hufflepuff, I heard and will be starting her sixth year at Hogwarts this fall."

"Surely she can't attend the meeting, Elphius." Objected Dumbledore. "The poor child is just sixteen. She will have to wait a year more to attend."

"Oh no, Albus. Amelia was very intelligent. She had her niece emancipated when she was fifteen once the rumors of You-Know-Who's return surfaced. The girl is legally eligible to attend. Oh look! There she is!"

Albus looked up to see a thin girl with dark red hair take her place silently in the chair that her aunt used to sit. Her face was gaunt and she looked somber but determined. Her aunt's death had left her all alone in the world. It would be easy for him to get her on his side, mused Albus. A grandfatherly figure was just what the girl needed to depend upon. Damn Amelia for having emancipated her. If the girl had not been emancipated he could have by right of being Chief Warlock demanded for the seat to be given in his custody until her seventeenth birthday while he molded the girl to follow his ideologies completely.

The entire room was now buzzing with noise. The session would start in a few minutes. Many Lords were looking curiously at the new Lady Bones. Lucius Malfoy was in deep conversation with Henry Nott, their eyes flickering towards Susan Bones every few seconds.

Finally, Rufus Scrimgeour strode in briskly with his staff. The new minister looked grim. The war with Voldemort was taking its toll on him. Fudge had left the entire framework of the ministry in shambles to say the least and it was a long and arduous task to bring everything back in order.

The doors began to close slowly when the minister had taken his seat.

"Wait!" A sharp voice suddenly commanded from outside. The doors stopped instantly. A steady murmur began to build up inside the hall. Dumbledore was puzzled himself. Nothing ever stopped the doors from closing. Rabastan Lestrage had been left red faced about thirty years ago when he had been late by a minute. The doors had closed in his face and he could only enter once the afternoon session was to commence.

A group of four entered. There were two men and two women. The entire hall gasped collectively. Dumbledore's eyes widened. He recognized two of the new arrivals at least. The slate grey eyes and rich black hair was very distinctive just like the auburn hair and emerald green eyes were. They were Sirius Black and Lily Potter. Which meant that the other two members could only be the elusive Harry Potter and his sister.

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The moment Harry entered the courtroom, he felt like an animal at the zoo. Everyone's gaze was on the four of them. Sirius quickly walked right to the top of the stairs where the most powerful houses had their seats – namely Potter, Black, Malfoy, Nott, Peverell, Bones and the four founders. This caused everyone to turn behind and watch their ascent. Most of the faces were shell shocked. Tiberus Smith had his mouth open. If today's meeting was not so very important, Harry would have happily yelled 'Boo!' just to see them all jump out of their skins. Cygnus gave him a small smile as he passed him. The unapproachable Lord Greengrass' shoulders were shaking with suppressed laughter. However, everyone was too busy staring at the four of them to notice this small fact.

The four of them walked on, their faces blank. Sirius took the chair of the House of Black while Harry sat in the seat of the House of Potter. Next came his sister in the seat of the House of Peverell and lastly, his mother in the seat of the House of Slytherin.

The moment his mother was seated, furious whispers broke out. Lucius Malfoy looked ready to faint with shock. Henry Nott was shaking with anger. Dumbledore was openly gaping at them with silent fury. His blinding green robes only made him look more comical. The golden stars on them did nothing to help.

It was Scrimgeour who recovered first.

"Chief Warlock, I think that we should start with business since we are all here now." He said shortly. He eyed the new arrivals speculatively.

That seemed to shake Dumbledore from his stupor.

"Yes, certainly minister. The first topic for today is the induction of the new Head of the House of Bones. If the lady will please come to the floor for the ceremony."

Susan Bones stood up and shakily walked to the dais. Harry looked at her curiously. The girl had courage – that was for sure. Not many teens would willingly agree to enter the field of politics in the current political climate; that too so soon after the death of a family member. However what remained to be seen was whether she had the political acumen to back it up.

"Chief Warlock," she bowed slightly.

"Miss Bones, do you accept the responsibility of becoming the Head of the House of Bones in the Wizengamot and the responsibilities that come with it?"

"I do."

"Very well. May your blood recognize you as the lawful heir of the House of Bones. Kindly summon your family totem as proof of your bloodline."

Susan raised her family ring and a grizzly bear emerged from it. It circled her once and then disappeared.

"Congratulations, Lady Bones. Your inductance in the Wizengamot is completed."

"Thank you, Chief Warlock. I would also like to nominate Lord Frances Macmillan as my proxy when I am unable to attend any subsequent meetings."

Dumbledore's face fell. Frances Macmillan was not one of his loyal sheep.

"My dear child," he said in a soothing manner. "Are you sure that you want to make this decision so very soon? There is no need of any hurry. Your aunt's death was a tragic incident and must have left you distraught. You do not need to make any commitments regarding your proxy so very soon."

"I am certain, Chief Warlock." Said Susan firmly. In his seat Harry smiled to himself. Dumbledore had been a fool to bring up the girl's aunt into the picture.

"Very well. Does Lord Macmillan accept this responsibility?"

Frances Macmillan stood up pompously. From what Harry had heard, the man could be a bit full of himself but was a shrewd leader.

"The House of Macmillan accepts this honor." The Macmillan family totem – a gull also flashed signifying the acceptance of the responsibility.

The new Lady Bones went back to her seat, flashing Lord Macmillan a grateful smile. From what Blaise had told Harry, Ernie Macmillan and Susan Bones were good friends. Harry had also found out from his various sources that Susan had been staying in the Macmillan residence after the attack.

"Is there anyone else who would like to be sworn in?" asked the Chief Warlock glancing none too subtly at Harry and Elizabeth.

Sirius decided to take the bait.

"The new Heads of the Houses of Black, Potter, Peverell, Slytherin and Gryffindor would like to be sworn in." he said clearly.

Harry and Sirius walked down to the dais where Dumbledore was waiting stunned. All the Lords had lost all sense of pureblood decorum and were unabashedly staring at the two of them and whispering among themselves.

Only Srimgeour remained calm from outside. His eyebrows were furrowed and he looked at the two of them intently. He might be a competent minister after all, mused Harry. At least he had some semblance of self-control and restraint. Fudge would have probably wet himself by now in excitement.

"Silence!" boomed Dumbledore, trying to regain some semblance of order.

"Sirius, Harry, kindly come forward."

They did not move a muscle. They remained at the edge of the dais as still as statues.

Dumbledore looked lost. "Sirius? Please come forward."

"I do not believe that I gave you the right to call me by my name, Chief Warlock." Said Sirius frostily. "Lord Black will suffice for me as will Lord Potter-Slytherin-Peverell-Gryffindor for my godson."

Dumbledore looked at him incredulously. Finally, he complied. From the corner of his eye, Harry saw Griselda Marchbanks giving him an approving look along with a few others. It seemed that Dumbledore was less popular than what had been projected for all these years.

"My apologies, Lord Black. Would you and Lord Potter-Slytherin-Peverell-Gryffindor please step forward?"

They moved upon the dais. Sirius stepped forward first. Dumbledore faced him reluctantly.

"Lord Black, do you accept the responsibility of becoming the Head of the House of Black in the Wizengamot and the responsibilities that come with it?"

"I do." Said Sirius curtly.

"Very well. May your blood recognize you as the lawful heir of the House of Black. Kindly summon your family totem as proof of your bloodline."

Sirius raised his ring and a red viper entwined with a black raven appeared. Circling around the room once, the raven came to rest on his shoulder. Mutterings broke out everywhere. The Black sigil had been modified about a century ago to a black viper with its fangs bared. Henry Nott gave Sirius a calculating look.

After the hall had quieted, Harry stepped forward. Almost at once, he felt a subtle force against his mental shields. He raised his eyes to meet Dumbledore's and pushed back, none too gently. Dumbledore stumbled back with a groan. 'If you try this again, you will be dealt with much more severely, old man' warned Harry mentally, shattering Dumbledore's mental defenses.

"Are you alright, Chief Warlock?" he asked politely, he picture of innocence.

"Absolutely." Gasped Dumbledore. "Just felt a bit dizzy, that is all."

"Maybe we should do this later then." Continued Harry, full of concern. "We should not tax you at your age if you are unwell."

"Oh no. I am perfectly fine now." Said Dumbledore warily. "Lord Potter-Slytherin-Peverell-Gryffindor, do you accept the responsibility of becoming the Head of the Houses Potter, Slytherin, Peverell and Gryffindor in the Wizengamot and the responsibilities that come with it?"

"I do." Said Harry serenely.

"Very well. May your blood recognize you as the lawful heir of the Houses Potter, Slytherin, Peverell and Gryffindor. Kindly summon your family totems as proof of your bloodline."

Harry raised his House ring. It glowed with power. After his emancipation, the four rings had converged to form a single one. Instantly, a stag and lion cantered around the room while a phoenix soared with a snake draped on its wings. They then stopped in front of Harry who smiled. The stag and lion surrounded him on his left and right. The phoenix perched on his shoulder while the snake coiled around his neck hissing contentedly.

Nott's eyes were big as saucers. Malfoy looked as though he was going to get a stroke. Cygnus and Amanda smiled softly while his mother and sister looked on proudly. In the area of the hall designated for the press, cameras flashed wildly as the reporters scrambled to write down what they had just witnessed as fast as they possibly could.

"Congratulations Lord Black and Lord Potter-Slytherin-Peverell-Gryffindor." Said Dumbledore hollowly. His plans were shattered.

"Thank you, Chief Warlock." Said Harry politely. "I would like to nominate Lord Sirius Black as my proxy for the Houses of Peverell and Gryffindor and Lady Lily Potter-Slytherin-Peverell-Gryffindor as my proxy for the Houses of Slytherin and Potter."

Instantly, the entire hall erupted.

"Preposterous! No mudblood can be a proxy for a House as Noble and Ancient as the House of Slytherin!" bellowed Kyle Pucey.

Many other purebloods nodded furiously. Dumbledore had a triumphant look on his face.

"I am afraid they are correct, my lord. Only a witch or wizard with some connection to a pureblood family can be nominated as a proxy."

"That should not be any problem, Chief Warlock." Said Sirius smoothly. "Lily Potter is a direct descendent of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Slytherin. Harry can call upon the family totem to prove it."

Immediately, the snake uncoiled itself from Harry's neck.

" _Kindly go to my mother and help her prove that these idiots are mistaken."_ Hissed Harry. Gasps could be heard from everywhere. Cygnus shook his head. His future son-in-law had forgotten to mention the tiny detail that he was a Parselmouth.

The snake glided gracefully to the back of the room where Lily sat.

" _Mistress._ " It bowed.

" _Hello, Flame. So how do you want to go about this? Something dramatic?"_ asked Lily amusedly.

 _"_ _Drama is good._ " Said Flame baring his fangs. " _How dare these people insult my mistress!"_

The snake grew in size until it was about five feet long. Shrieks could be heard from all around the room. It bared its fangs as if to attack and then bowed in front of Lily and draped itself around her shoulders, nuzzling her neck. Liz leaned from her seat to pet him chattering with Flame all the while in Parseltongue.

"I suppose that settles the issue?" asked Harry coldly.

"Yes, indeed my lord." Said Dumbledore hastily. "Do Lord Black and Lady Potter-Slytherin-Peverell-Gryffindor accept this responsibility?"

Sirius and Lily gave their assent.

"That will be all, my lords." Said Dumbledore, eager to get rid of them.

"Just a minute," interrupted Harry. "Lord Pucey has slandered a member of my House. Normally, I would have challenged him to a wizarding duel however, since he was ignorant about my mother's true origins, an apology will suffice."

Pucey had turned purple in the face.

"And if I don't apologize?" he asked stiffly.

"Then I will have no option but to challenge you to a wizard's duel."

Kyle Pucey laughed.

"You challenge me, boy? You cannot be more than sixteen! Alright then, a wizard's duel it shall be. When do you wish for it to happen?"

"What about right now?"

"Now, my lords, is this really necessary?" asked Dumbledore hastily. "Surely we can settle this in an amicable manner."

"No need for that." Said Pucey arrogantly. "Let us duel now. Whoever is rendered unable to fight is the loser. Is that good enough for you boy?"

"Fair enough." Shrugged Harry. Kyle Pucey was apparently a decent dueler. No match for the likes of Bellatrix but better than Malfoy for sure. He was a high ranking member in Voldemort's forces and had been part of the group that had tortured Amelia Bones before Voldemort had killed her. This alone was reason enough for Harry to want to finish him on the spot.

Kyle walked down to the dais. Everyone else waited with bated breath. Sirius stepped aside.

"Sirius, is this really wise?" implored Dumbledore. "Surely this is taking things a little too far. You are Harry's godfather. Please, make him see reason."

"First of all Chief Warlock, I do not recall giving you permission to address me so informally. Secondly, Harry was absolutely within his rights to challenge Lord Pucey to a duel. And lastly, Harry is more than capable of defeating him." Snapped Sirius.

The dais was emptied and a protective shield was raised around it. Kyle and Harry faced each other. Minister Scrimgeour was chosen as the referee. It had been Pucey's choice thinking that the Chief Warlock would be partial to the Boy-Who-Lived. Little did he know that Harry was grinning from inside. Rufus Scrimgeour was a fair man. He would not try to manipulate anything like a certain old man he knew.

"The duel between Lord Kyle Pucey Head of the House of Pucey and Lord Harry Potter-Slytherin-Peverell-Gryffindor will now commence." Announced Scrimgeour. "The duel shall end when either one of the duelists are unable to continue. No unforgivables or any other dark spells are permitted. The duel begins at the count of three. One, two, three!"

Pucey shot a stunner at Harry at the count of two itself. The crowd roared in protest. Harry ducked. He had expected this. After all, Slytherins do not fight fair and Kyle Pucey had been a Slytherin at Hogwarts after all.

" _Petrificus Totalus!"_ said Harry lazily. Pucey just managed to side step it.

" _Bombarda Maxima!"_ roared Pucey. Shards of rock from the dais dislodged themself and flew at Harry.

" _Protego Totalum!"_ chanted Harry and a pale blue dome surrounded him. The spell hit the shield and the rocks were thrown back. Pucey was blasted off his feet. Slowly, he managed to stand up.

"Fight back, boy!" he yelled. "What is it? Too scared to face me? Stop hiding behind that shield of yours!"

Harry's eyes hardened.

" _Confrigo! Flipendo Tria! Stupefy! Lumos Maxima!_ " fired Harry in quick succession, his wand a red blur. The first two curses hit Pucey and he fell.

" _Crucio!_ " yelled Pucey desperately. The crowd gasped. Frances Macmillan yelled in outrage. However, Pucey's aim was off. The spell passed harmlessly over Harry's head.

" _Incendio!_ " snarled Harry, his eyes glowing with hate. The entire room pulsed with the raw magic that was being emitted by the teen. Flames shot from his wand rushing towards Pucey.

 _"_ _I_ _gnis_ _F_ _unes_ _!_ " continued Harry.

The fire shaped itself to form ropes that wrapped themselves around the pale faced wizard.

" _Augmenti!_ " whimpered Kyle. However, the flames were too strong. The water was immediately converted to steam.

Pucey was bound by fiery ropes. The ropes then dragged him to Harry who was standing lazily without a scratch.

" _Stupefy!_ " said Harry lazily. The flames released Pucey who slumped onto the floor. His robes were burnt and hair was singed. Gashes adorned his arms and face.

"The victor of the duel is Lord Harry Potter-Slytherin-Peverell-Gryffindor." Said Rufus Scrimgeour, stunned. All the Lords stared incredulously at the sixteen year old in front of him. The sheer power and precision that had been demonstrated by the teen was incredible. Hardly any grown wizards could do the same. "Due to Lord Pucey disobeying the rules of the duel by using an unforgivable he had to pay one million galleons to Lord Potter-Slytherin-Peverell-Gryffindor as compensation and will be sent to Azkaban for three months. I apologize to you on behalf of the Wizengamot, my lord. Such underhand tactics are not to be tolerated."

"No problem, Minister Scrimgeour. Apology accepted." Said Harry graciously and walked up the stairs to take his seat, well aware of the stares of all the lords on the way.

"Kindly take Lord Pucey to St. Mungo's, Mr. Weasley." Said Dumbledore, turning to Percy Weasley.

"And to Azkaban straight after." Added Scrimgeour. "Call the aurors from the hospital to escort him."

"Certainly, Chief Warlock, Minister." Nodded Percy – his head bobbing up and down like a cartoon.

"Now if we can get back to business." Said Dumbledore. And so, the rest of the meeting continued. It bored Harry to tears. Sirius had told him to just listen and not contribute any thoughts of his own as this was his first meeting. Not that it would have mattered anyway. The topics discussed were not worth discussing in the first place as in the end, no action would be taken.

It was the same old thing – attacks of Voldemort, the rising death toll, the debate of appointing Severus Snape as the new defense professor and the fall of the British economy. After continuing this endless discussion for three hours, they were back to where they started, just as Sirius had predicted. As a third of the Wizengamot comprised death eaters, it was foolish to even think that any steps would be taken to stop Voldemort's progress.

Finally, it was the time that Harry had been waiting for.

"Any other announcements to be made, my lords?" asked Dumbledore at last.

Lucius Malfoy put up his staff.

"The House of Malfoy would like to put forward the proposal for a marriage contract between Daphne Greengrass, the firstborn daughter of the House of Greengrass and my son and heir Draco Malfoy."

A hush descended over the hall. Cygnus Greengrass clenched his fists.

"I am afraid that the House of Greengrass must reject this kind offer, Lord Malfoy." He said politely. Muttering broke out across the hall. The Greengrass family was not as powerful as the House of Malfoy, everyone knew that. Cygnus refusing the contract was as good as signing his death sentence. Amos Diggory looked at Cygus sympathetically. Nott, Parkinson and Crabbe looked at Cygnus as though he was crazy.

"I see." Said Lucius, his eyes hard. If looks could kill, Cygnus would have been dead on the floor by now. "Thank you for your reply, Lord Greengrass. I hope that you have made this decision after careful thought."

Cygnus smiled. "Of course, my lord. However, I do have an announcement of my own to make. The House of Greengrass is pleased to announce an alliance with the Houses Black, Potter, Peverell, Slytherin and Gryffindor on account of the betrothal contract between my eldest daughter, Daphne Greengrass and Harry James Potter-Slytherin-Peverell-Gryffindor, head of the Noble and Most Ancient Houses of Potter, Peverell, Slytherin and Gryffindor."

"Impossible!" exclaimed Dumbledore. "It cannot be permitted!" Mentally he weighed the pros and cons of revealing the marriage contract he had made between Harry Potter and Ginevra Weasley. However, he decided against it. If the brat demanded that he contract should be brought to the hall, it would be revealed that it was not valid as it had been made without the Potter family's consent.

"Chief Warlock, you forget yourself." Interjected Griselda Marchbanks sternly. "You cannot object to any alliance that may be brought about between houses or betrothal contracts for that matter."

"Thank you, Madam Marchbanks." Smiled Harry. "The Houses of Potter, Peverell, Slytherin and Gryffindor accept the alliance and the betrothal contract put forward by the House of Greengrass." Magic flashed as the alliance was ratified.

"The House of Black also accepts the alliance with the House of Greengrass." Chimed in Sirius. Magic flashed once again.

"The House of Zabini also announces its alliance with the Houses of Black, Potter, Peverell, Slytherin and Gryffindor." Said Amanda Zabini smoothly.

Dumbledore could do nothing but watch helplessly while Harry and Sirius accepted the alliance. Most of the lords looked flabbergasted. The Boy-Who-Lived aligning with borderline dark houses! Unimaginable!

The press was having a field day. Rita Skeeter's eyes gleamed. She had to set up an interview with the Boy-Who-Lived as soon as she possibly could. This had been the most interesting Wizengamot meeting in the last hundred years!

"Any more announcements?" asked Dumbledore weakly. His plans were turning to dust before his eyes.

Susan Bones announced an alliance with the House of Macmillan which was promptly accepted. After that, there was nothing else. Everyone else was too stunned to say anything.

"The meeting is adjourned!" announced Dumbledore, at last. Everyone started leaving the hall. Cygnus shook Harry's hand and embraced Sirius before leaving. Amanda waved happily at them. Scrimgeour was waiting for the four of them at the entrance.

"My lords and ladies, it was a pleasure to meet you all at last." Said the Minister respectfully.

"The pleasure was entirely ours, Minister." Said Sirius smiling. He remembered Rufus from school. He had been a few years older than the Marauders. A Ravenclaw, he had had a flair for politics even at that time.

"I was wondering if we could set up a meeting in the near future. Only the five of us." Added Lily. "There are a few things that need to be discussed."

"Certainly, milady." Said Scrimgeour shocked. He had not expected it to be so easy. He had thought that he would have to beg the four of them to meet him.

"Why did you arrange a meeting with him, mom?" asked Liz one the Minister was out of earshot.

"Because he seems to be more sensible than Fudge and might actually help us end this war." Replied Sirius. "If we are mistaken, it does not matter. We can make our excuses and leave. And now we must hurry. There is a certain reporter I have to find. I have a feeling that she will be most useful to us."

hphphphp

"DAPHNE CLAIRE GREENGRASS YOU HAVE SOME EXPLAINING TO DO!" shouted a voice from the fireplace.

"What in Merlin's name…" murmured Daphne groggily. She walked to the fireplace in her room slowly.

"Tracy Davis, you better have a good reason for having woken me up so very early."

"I am coming through." Said the voice impatiently. The next second, a girl with blonde hair in a pixie cut and grey eyes appeared. She had a paper in her hand. She thrust it at Daphne impatiently.

"Explain."

Daphne gazed at the headlines. "BOY-WHO-LIVED RETURNS AS HEIR TO FOUR HOUSES!" they screamed. In a smaller font below it was written: "BOY-WHO-LIVED BETROTHED TO GREENGRASS HEIRESS!" Emblazoned on the cover was a picture of Harry surrounded by the four family totems. Below that, a smaller picture showed Harry dueling Kyle Pucey.

Daphne started to laugh. When she had told Harry that she wanted their engagement to be made public, she had not expected the _entire_ paper to be dedicated to it. Looking at her friend's face Daphne knew she had some explaining to do.

 **So Chapter 11 folks! Hope you liked it!**

 **A big thank you to all of you who continue to motivate me with your numerous suggestions. You guys are amazing.**

 **See you next week with the next chapter!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: Same as Chapter 1**

 **Chapter 12**

 **The Journey to Hogwarts**

"So we have to run through a _wall_ to reach the station?" asked Liz skeptically, her eyebrows raised. "On a crowded muggle platform where anyone can see us randomly falling through a solid brick wall? And in spite of this the Statue of Secrecy is maintained?"

"Yes," said Remus smiling. "It does seem ridiculous when you put it that way but that is the way it is."

"All ready, Liz?" asked Lily, entering the sitting room. Trippy followed her, levitating Harry and Liz's trunks by magic. "Do you know where Harry is? It is time we left."

"He went to the dueling room for some last minute practice with Padfoot." said Remus.

"Again? Does he want to kill himself before the school year starts? Honestly, my dear brother can be a little obsessive at times but this is taking it a bit too far."

"Not at all, sister dear." Said Harry, entering the sitting room where all the trunks were kept. His shirt was drenched with sweat and he had a huge gash across his left arm."Since there has not been a competent defense teacher at Hogwarts for the past twenty years, I think I am justified in trying to cram the entire year's syllabus in a month's time."

"You have already graduated idiot." Snapped Liz, rolling her eyes.

"Yes he has. However that did not prevent me from incapacitating him with a cutting hex that nearly sliced off his forearm." Said Sirius smugly. He looked even worse than what Harry did. Cuts ran all across his shoulder and his hair was singed. His shirt was shredded and he was limping.

"You mean after I managed to use _Sectumsempra_ on your leg?" countered Harry.

"Alright, alright," said Lily exasperatedly, "If you are both done with killing each other, can we leave? Harry, go and get ready. We are going to be late."

"Right away, mom." Saluted Harry, racing up the stairs.

"What is the result today?" asked Remus, his lips twitching.

Sirius scowled. "You have to ask? Prongslet beat me seven times compared to my four. And each match barely lasted for five to ten kid is a prodigy."

"Aw, come on, Uncle Sirius," laughed Liz. "You are only disgruntled that a sixteen year old boy managed to beat you, a fully trained Auror. By the way, when will both of us start dueling?"

"Get through me first Liz." Smiled Remus. "Once you can incapacitate me more than five times in a row then you can duel Sirius."

"But I beat you four times out of our last twelve matches! Isn't that good enough?"

"It is creditable for your age Liz," said Lily calmly. "Remus is an excellent dueler. However, if I am level one, Remus is level two and Sirius is level three, Voldemort is at level five, I guess. If you and Harry are going to have to face him in battle, you need to get your basics right first. Did you manage to master the bone breaking curse yet?"

"Nearly. I can make ten bones shatter at the same time if I concentrate; however I am trying to make the hex powerful enough to take out twenty bones at a time with causing enough pain to make a person black out. I should be able to master it by Christmas."

"Good enough." Nodded Remus approvingly. "Not many seventh years can do it. It should prove to be useful in battle."

"Alright, I am ready." Shouted Harry, rushing down the stairs, taking them three at a time.

"Finally. Now let us leave." Said Lily, glancing at the watch. "We are cutting it a little fine."

"Bye pup, bye cub." Said Sirius, hugging both Harry and Liz, his eyes suspiciously bright. "Have a good term and remember, keep your wits about you. If you see anything suspicious at all, contact us at once. I have given you the mirrors to use."

"Bye Padfoot," said Liz, kissing his cheek. "I will keep Harry out of trouble, don't worry."

"I don't go looking for trouble." Objected Harry. "It just seeks me out, wherever I go."

"Right." Deadpanned Sirius. "Also, I can't believe I am saying this but don't get sorted into Gryffindor. Get out of Dumbledore's influence as much as you can. Try to make get into Slytherin if possible, Liz. Blaise will be there to help you and tell you about the power play in the house. Harry, I suppose any house but Gryffindor is fine for you. I doubt Dumbledore will harass you after what happened at the Wizengamot meeting that day. Also, both of you need to keep your masks up at all times. I know it is tiresome but it is necessary. Dumbledore should find you both unapproachable."

"Yes, Padfoot. Don't worry. We will be careful." Said Harry, shaking his hand for the last time.

Finally, after a series of tearful goodbyes courtesy of Mimsy and Trippy they were off. It had been decided that Lily and Remus would accompany the children to the station. Sirius had a meeting with Scrimgeour.

The new Minister had got along splendidly with them. He was not corrupt or in league with Death Eaters (Sirius had used mild Legilimency to determine that) and was also looking for the best way to end the war as soon as possible. Being a former auror, Scrimgeour knew too well how devastating a war would be for the wizarding community. So Sirius and Lily had decided to involve Scrimgeour in their plan to a small extent. Enough to keep the death eaters on their toes.

They had not even needed to turn him against Dumbledore as Rufus was himself quite disgruntled about the Headmaster's lackadaisical attitude about the war and his belief of giving captured death eaters second chances instead of sending them to Azkaban. It was common knowledge that the dark mark could only be taken willingly. Fudge had been stupid to allow Lucius Malfoy to walk off scot free after accepting his excuse of being under the Imperius Curse.

Still, things were looking up. It would not be very difficult to get the ministry on their side if need be and Boris was already gathering forces from Salem as back up. As the 'steward' of the Houses Black, Potter, Slytherin, Peverell and Gryffindor, Remus was trying to renew his contacts with some of his werewolf friends in the rest of Europe which would also be important later on.

As the four of them arrived at platform nine an three quarters, Harry could not help thinking that this was going to be an interesting year to say the least, if the behavior of the people around them was any indication. However, it was to be expected. Rita Skeeter had done a special feature on Harry and Liz as the 'first members in recorded history to be the heirs of four houses'. It had been at Sirius' behest, of course.

Good publicity was extremely important in order to win over the public who were fickle minded to say the least. Rita Skeeter was a force to reckon with in her own way with being the most popular journalist at the _Daily Prophet_. She had been more than happy to be their private spokesperson and not print any article mentioning the five of them without running it past Sirius first. It did not hurt that Harry and Sirius together owned about seventy percent of the _Daily Prophet_ and knew that she was an unregistered Animagus – courtesy of Blaise Zabini.

Most of the people were openly gaping at them while some of the darker families muttered among themselves, glaring at Harry in particular. It seemed like they had taken Kyle Pucey's defeat by a sixteen year old as a personal insult. Lucius Malfoy shot Harry a cruel smirk. That was unsettling, to say the least.

Two red heads detached themselves from the crowd as they approached the train. The woman was short and round with red hair. She was followed by her a tall lanky boy with a freckled face. Harry knew who they were. Molly Weasley and her youngest son Ron. Staunch supporters of Dumbledore. He had half expected her daughter to also be with her. After all, Dumbledore had apparently created a betrothal contract between Ginny Weasley and him. However, maybe the contract had been destroyed after the youngest Weasley had been sorted into Slytherin and had been dubbed 'dark' by her family. You could never say with Dumbledore.

"Oh my dears! It is so good to see you!" gushed Molly; clasping Lily's hand as though they were the best of friends. "I am Molly Weasley and this is my son Ronald. I think he will be in Harry's year. He will be more than happy to show both your children around Hogwarts."

Lily raised an eyebrow. "Thank you ma'am but that will not be necessary. Harry and Liz have already made some friends of their own who will be more than happy to help them out."

Molly looked horrified.

"But surely you do not mean the Greengrasses! You might not know this as you all have been away for a few years but they are a dark family all in league with You-Know-Who. They will betray you all to him the first chance they get. They are not to be trusted."

"I am sorry, but I don't know who." Interjected Liz irritated. "Why don't you call him by his name – Voldemort."

"Young lady! I will not have such impertinence from you!" squawked Molly, flinching on hearing the dark lord's name.

"Leave it mother," said Ron with an air of superiority, regarding Liz as though she was nothing more than an irritating fly. "She is only a child and the entire move to England must have been very taxing. She did not mean it. Mate," he added, turning to Harry, "I will be more than happy to show a fellow lion the ropes. Come to me if you need any help."

Harry regarded him coolly. "I thought that we were sorted into our respective houses only once we reached Hogwarts. I was not aware that it was pre decided."

Ron laughed nervously. "Well, it is obvious that you will be a Gryffindor. You are the Boy-Who-Lived! Also, you are the descendent of Godric Gryffindor himself. It is not like you are going to end up being a snake."

"Although he is a direct descendent of Slytherin too?" added Lily her voice hard. "You insult one house which my son belongs to while exalting the other? And have you forgotten that your sister is a member of the House of Slytherin as well?"

Ron turned as red as his hair. "But he cannot be a filthy snake! It is bad enough that he has to marry one. That too looks awfully fishy if you ask me. Are you sure that you were not confounded when you signed the contract, ma'am?"

Quick as a flash, Harry had his wand pointed at the boy's throat.

"Insult my betrothed or my mother again and I will not hesitate to maim you at the very least. Now get lost. I have had enough of your drivel."

"Aren't you going to tell him anything?" asked Molly aghast. "He just threatened my son!"

"He did not do anything wrong." Said Remus, his eyes cold. "It is you who needs to teach your son not to insult an Heir of an Ancient House unless he wishes to take part in a wizarding duel. Now kindly excuse us. We have to get going."

They pushed through the crowd of onlookers who had gathered all around. Finally, they spotted Blaise near the last carriage.

"Care to enlighten me about what just transpired?" Grinned Blaise.

"Weasley was being an idiot that is what happened. And his mother was even worse." Said Liz, rolling her eyes. It was a testament to how angry Lily was that she did not even rebuke her daughter.

"That is nothing new." Chimed in Amanda. "The Weasleys have been staunch followers of Dumbledore since a really long time. They practically worship the ground he walks on."

"What about the girl? The one who was sorted into Slytherin?" asked Remus curiously.

"Ginny is not bad." Answered Blaise. "After the incident in her first year she mainly keeps to herself. Her family had all but disowned her but for the twins. Ron and Percy went out of their way to make life miserable in her first year. Her mother sent her a howler for becoming a snake. Even after the incident with the diary nothing changed. In fact that only cemented the belief in her mother's mind that she had turned dark. Most of the house hates her for being a blood traitor. So it is not easy for her at all. But she is alright, by far and large. She is clever and resourceful. She hexed Ron Weasley last term and put him in the hospital wing for a week. The prat had warts sprouting all over his face and could not talk without belching out slugs. The twins helped her with that I think."

"Sounds interesting." Mused Harry. In the distance, the whistle blew. The three of them climbed into the train. "Well, bye mum. Bye Moony. See you at Christmas. Bye Mrs. Zabini."

"Stay out of trouble and look after your sister." Smiled Lily, blinking back tears. "And be safe."

Remus shook Harry's hand one last time, loath to let go.

Just a second later, the train started. The platform faded into the distance. Harry grinned. They were finally going to Hogwarts.

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It had been nearly impossible to find a vacant compartment. Every compartment was packed with curious onlookers, eager to catch a glimpse of the famous Boy-Who-Lived and his mysterious sister. Liz was sick of the faces pressed against the glasses of the compartments they passed. Honestly, if you had to stare you could be discreet about it! Finally, Blaise stopped before a compartment that was right at the beginning of the train. There were three occupants in it – Daphne, Astoria and a girl with short blonde hair and sharp grey eyes. That must be Tracy – her future sister-in-law's best friend.

To be honest, Liz did not know what to make of Daphne. Astoria was easy enough to read. She had a love for pranks that rivaled Liz and was completely against the house prejudice that existed. Her boyfriend Colin Creevey was a muggleborn and a Gryffindor to boot! And she had a friend who was a Hufflepuff.

Daphne was more difficult. Liz knew that even her brother was finding it difficult to decide how to act with his betrothed. Oh yes, he would put on a brave face in public but she had seen how undecided her brother was. He did not know whether to treat Daphne as a friend or something more. Hell, he did not even know if she could be trusted to be his friend. At times, her brother could be too damn noble for his own good. He had gone out of his way to save Daphne from the marriage contract of Lucius Malfoy by making his engagement public – and Harry hated publicity.

If that was not enough, he had also refused to let Daphne swear a vow of loyalty to him for Merlin's sake! It was apparently too 'barbaric' on his part if he did so. He wanted to treat her as his equal. Liz could only hope that Daphne would not betray Harry. Harry put his family's needs and happiness above his own after he had come to know about the circumstances regarding their father's death. It had been hard on him and Liz knew that he blamed himself to a certain extent for it. If Daphne were to betray Harry, he would be devastated. The more Liz thought about it, the more she felt the need to talk to Daphne personally and ask her about her intentions regarding her brother.

It was about three in the afternoon at the moment and they were about halfway on their way to Hogwarts. Harry and Daphne were having a quiet conversation, probably trying to get to know each other better. Tracy, Blaise and Astoria were playing a game of exploding snap. Uptil now, Blaise's eyebrows were singed while Astoria's fingers were blackened with soot. Tracy was grinning widely at the two of them. She was a genius at the game.

Liz was staring out of the window while pretending to read a book. She loved to observe people and fancied herself to be a good judge of character. From what she had seen till now she knew that Tracy and Blaise fancied each other, regardless of how much they tried to hide it. However, they were both too oblivious to make the first move. Harry and Daphne were on the verge of forming a temporary friendship. Tracy was also going to be a welcome ally to them, if Liz's gut feeling was right. And Astoria was dying to visit a certain Mr. Creevey for a second time if the glances she was shooting at the door were any indication.

A sudden crash jolted her out of her reverie. Harry leapt to his feet, wand drawn.

"What was that?" asked Astoria, worriedly. "This had never happened before."

The acrid smell of smoke started filling the compartment. In the corridors, screams could be heard.

"An attack." Said Blaise grimly, standing up as well. Just then, the window of the compartment splintered. Shards of glass rained over the occupants of the carriage.

"Liz, stay here." Barked Harry. "No matter what happens, _do not_ leave this place. Put up the protective charms around the compartment as you have been taught. Put them up in such a way that only students who do not mean you any harm will be allowed to enter. If I am correct, it is me that these bastards want." Saying so, he rushed out of the compartment, Blaise following him at once.

"I am going too." Said Daphne determinedly. "Tracy, look after Astoria and Liz."

"Daph –" Tracy started to rise. But it was too late. Daphne had left the room. Liz started casting all the protective spells she knew.

 _"_ _Salvio Hexia!_ _Protego Maxima!_ " chanted Liz; modifying them to allow any other students to enter.

 _"_ _Fianto Duri!"_ added Tracy.

 _"_ _Repello Inimicum!"_ chimed in Astoria.

The spells were cast not a moment too soon. The next instant, an almighty bang sounded and the entire train overturned, leaving the single compartment upright.

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Soot and dust greeted Harry the moment he left the compartment. He nearly choked on it before casting a bubble head charm on himself. Then, he cast a disillusionment charm too. From the corner of his eye, he saw Blaise do the same. The corridor was a mess. The roof of the Hogwarts Express was destroyed and Death Eaters kept pouring into the train from above. There was a mad scramble to get into a compartment. Children were screaming. Bellatrix had kept three of them under the Cruciatus. Some sixth and seventh years were trying to fight but it was of no use. There were just too many Death Eaters.

White hot anger roared up in Harry. Where the hell were the aurors?

" _Sectumsempra!_ " he snarled. The spell hit its mark. Bellatrix was thrown back, her leg bleeding.

"There is someone there!" she shrieked, throwing a killing curse in the direction that Harry was standing. He ducked the flash of green light by a few inches.

" _Impedimenta! Incarceous! Stupefy!_ " yelled Blaise. Two death eaters collapsed upon being hit by the stunning spell. Another one was bound by thick ropes.

" _Reducto!_ " said Harry, aiming at the floor. Shards of metal blasted into Bellatrix's face, temporarily disorienting her and blinding three others. A well placed cutting hex by Blaise severed another death eater's head while the bone crushing curse by Harry sent another one back screaming. Unfortunately, the disillusionment charms had worn off by now, making the boys open targets.

The two boys were now standing back to back firing spells in all directions like they were a single entity. But Bellatrix was not going to give up so easily.

" _Crucio!_ " she snarled, her eyes gleaming. The curse hit Blaise, who started writhing and screaming on the floor.

Harry transfigured the pillars near Bellatrix to vipers.

" _Kill her_." he ordered in Parseltongue. One of the vipers lunged at her throat while another bit at her wand arm. A powerful banishing hex by Bellatrix killed them both. However, it gave Blaise the respite he needed.

Leaving Bellatrix to deal with yet more snakes that he had conjured, Harry moved ahead to deal with the rest of the enemy.

"There he is! Take the brat!" yelled Lucius Malfoy. A quick _Petrificus Totalus_ and _Expulso_ threw him out of the train before he could draw attention. Green light of about a dozen killing curses sped towards Harry from all directions.

" _Riptide!"_ called Harry. The snake appeared instantly. It spun, swallowing the killing curses from all directions and throwing them back at the death eaters in vengeance.

"Harry! Help!" yelled a voice behind him. He whirled to see Daphne dueling three death eaters at once – Pucey, Crabbe and Goyle. She was losing. A killing curse missed her by a millimeter.

"You thought your family could escape so easily from us, girl? _Crucio!_ " laughed Kyle Pucey, maniacally. A stream of fire shot out from Harry's wand and surrounded the man. The smell of burnt flesh filled the air. The other two tried to escape but wolves conjured from the metal doors ripped their throats out.

"Well, well, well, looks like I have got a worthy opponent at last." Crooned Bellatrix as she approached him, leaving a path of destruction in her wake. The carriage behind was aflame with Blaise, Neville Longbottom and Susan Bones trying their best to put it out. Children of eleven and twelve were distraught, screaming for help.

"Let us see how well you can dance." She laughed, releasing curse after curse at him. Riptide emerged, swallowing any killing curses heading his master's way. Harry retaliated with the entrail expelling curse and another _Sectumsempra_ which hit Bellatrix's left arm. She laughed with glee on getting hit.

"Looks like the itty baby knows his curses after all! It will give me great pleasure to torture you once you are captured."

" _Bombarda Maxima!_ " yelled Daphne, knocking Bellatrix off her feet.

" _Incedio!_ " snarled Lucius Malfoy clambering into the compartment. However, no damage was done. The flames did not touch Harry or the other students. Instead, they hit the remaining death eaters who screamed in agony. Harry smiled grimly. Having a phoenix as a family totem had its advantages – one of which being his control over fire spells.

Several pops signified the arrival of Aurors to the scene. The Death Eaters disapparated at once. Bellatrix snarled at Harry. "You will pay for this! My lord will kill you!" she screamed before she disappeared.

" _Augmenti!_ " chanted Harry and Daphne together, sending jets to water to douse the fire created. The water combined to form a whirlpool, reducing the raging fire in the previous compartment to a few dying embers. Blaise, Neville and Susan whirled round in surprise at the force of the spell.

The aurors led by Mad- Eye Moody entered the train. They gazed at the destruction inside. The floor or rather what was left of it was charred black and blood was spattered everywhere.

"What in Merlin's name happened, boy?" asked the grizzly auror, rounding up on Harry angrily. "What have you done?"

"Your job, I suppose." Said Harry coolly. "After all, being the head auror isn't it your responsibility to prevent death eaters from attacking the Hogwarts Express?"

An exclamation from the woman behind him prevented Moody from killing Harry on the spot.

"Are these Pucey, Crabbe and Goyle?" she asked in amazement, gazing at their mutilated forms. "You did this?"

"Yes. I did. It was either kill them or allow students to be tortured. I hope I did the right thing." Added Harry sarcastically. The woman's lips twitched; her hair changed from dark brown to a lurid pink. Moody looked furious at his impertinence.

"How many casualties are there Kingsley?" he finally asked the quiet man who had just emerged from the next carriage.

"Ten death eaters are killed and five are gravely injured. My team has taken them to the holding cells where they will be treated and then questioned. As for the students, about twelve have been under exposure to the Cruciatus but there is thankfully no lasting damage. Several others have minor scratches and burns but nothing too serious."

"Well, thank you very much for your help, Mr. Potter. You have done us a great service." Added the woman seeing that Moody was unable of speech. The rest of the aurors were the same way. They were gazing at him in fear or awe. "Shall we go, Mad-Eye?"

Moody nodded jerkily and after giving Harry one last glare disappeared with a pop. The woman and Kingsley remained behind.

"We need to take your statements regarding the attack." Said the woman apologetically. "Of course, it can wait until your injuries have been treated. There is no rush."

"You seem to have faced the Cruciatus curse lad." Said Kingsley, turning to Blaise. He handed him a potion. "Drink this. It will relieve the shaking in your limbs."

Blaise took it thankfully. After giving the aurors their statements the three of them trudged back to their carriage which had thankfully escaped unscathed. It was full now. About twenty students were crammed in from all four houses. Looking at them all, Harry smiled softly. Maybe it would be possible to overcome the prejudice between the houses that existed after all. Looking at Tracy sitting awkwardly next to Parvati Patil and trying to make conversation for the rest of the journey, Harry had to laugh.

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"What do you mean the brat escaped, Bella?" hissed Voldemort in anger. Nagini twisted on the floor uneasily. Voldemort in his rages was no joke. For the past hour, Malfoy and Nott had been screaming under the Cruciatus.

Bellatrix sobbed at his feet. "I am sorry my lord. It will not happen again. I was a fool."

"It will not happen _again_? It should not have happened in the first place. The students remain unharmed and ten of my death eaters are dead including Kyle! Not to mention the twenty odd who are severely injured. Five of them were foolish enough to get captured by the Ministry!" Thundered the Dark Lord. " _Crucio!_ "

Bellatrix screamed in pain. It felt like a thousand hot knives were stabbing her all at once. After about five minutes, the curse lifted.

"The next time you fail me Bella, I will not be so very lenient." Said Voldemort coldly. "Now get out of my sight all of you!"

Watching Lucius, Bellatrix, Rudolphus and Henry limp away Voldemort scowled. This would not do. The boy had to be killed. It was bad enough that his mudblood mother was claiming to be the heir of Slytherin. They all needed to be slaughtered – the boy, his mother and his sister. Then no one would challenge his birthright. He clenched his fists. Next time he would take no such chances. He would kill the boy himself. But first there was something else that needed to be done. It was time that he heard the prophecy at last.

 **So that was Chapter 12 finally! I hope you liked the battle. This is the first time I have attempted to write a battle scene so I hope it turned out fine.**

 **A big thank you to all of you who have continued to support my writing this story. You are all brilliant.**

 **The next chapter should finally deal with Harry's sorting at long last. Do continue sending me your suggestions and ideas regarding the plot of the story in general. They really help a lot.**

 **See you next week with the next chapter!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: Same as Chapter 1**

 **Chapter 13**

 **The Sorting**

It was nearly eight by the time Tonks returned to the Ministry. With the help of Kingsley she had managed to get the Hogwarts Express to Hogwarts. With Harry's help, the train had been made upright and had continued moving. The driver and the lunch lady had suffered only minor injuries but were terribly frightened. The lunch lady had insisted on leaving the train the moment Tonks had reached her. It was only because of Harry's smooth talking that she had consented to remain until the train reached its' destination.

Speaking of which, Tonks was terribly impressed the way Harry had handled the entire situation. He had been calm and level headed throughout the entire encounter and his spell work was something that even she was not capable of performing. However, something was bothering her. How in Merlin's name had Kyle Pucey been on the train? If the rumors were correct, Scrimgeour had ordered that he should be thrown into Azkaban after the last Wizengamot meeting!

However, her questions would have to wait for now. A babble of voices greeted her and Kingsley as they entered the auror department. The entire room was in pandemonium.

"What on earth!" murmured Kingsley. Moody was in the center of the confusion. Next to him was the Minister and to Tonks' great surprise, her uncle, Lord Sirius Black.

"What do you mean that there was a death eater attack on the Hogwarts Express?" Asked Sirius dangerously. His hands were clenched into fists. "You are the head of the Auror department. Aren't you supposed to be having people on duty to warn you about imminent attacks like this?"

Moody flushed a deep shade of red. Tonks remembered that Sirius Black had trained under Mad-Eye for about two years. Obviously Moody had taken it as an insult that a former student of his had the audacity to insult him in front of the entire department.

"Now look here, you have no right to question how the Ministry functions. Mistakes happen, alright. Anyway, there was no lasting damage. None of the students were gravely injured."

"They should not have been any injuries in the first place, Auror Moody." Said Scrimgeour gravely. He was shaking with suppressed anger. "Why were aurors not stationed on the Express as I had ordered?"

"Dumbledore had said that there was no need to do so. According to him, it would only cause unnecessary panic and fear in the minds of the students if aurors were stationed on the train. He wanted the children to have a sense of adventure while going to school unmarred by the war that is going on. The train had never been attacked in the past. There was nothing to suggest that even the death eaters would stoop so low as to attack it."

Tonks winced. Did Moody have any idea how stupid he sounded? 'A sense of adventure'? Really? Had Dumbledore taken leave of his senses?

Sirius' eyes flashed angrily. Apparently he felt the same way. A muscle twitched in his jaw.

"Are you telling me that you disobeyed a direct order from the Minister of Magic due to something that Albus Dumbledore asked you to do?" he asked, his voice frigid.

"Dumbledore is the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot. If he cannot be trusted then who can." Argued Moody, his voice rising with every word. Nearly everyone had turned to watch the show by now. After all, it was not every day that you got to see Mad-Eye Moody being scolded like an errant child by one his old students.

"I want a complete report of the attack tonight." Said Scrimgeour firmly. He shot Moody a an angry look.

"That will not be possible. My aurors have yet not returned." Said Moody stubbornly.

"Actually, we have. Auror Tonks and I have seen off the Hogwarts Express safely to its destination and taken statements of various students who witnessed the attacks." Said Kingsley, stepping forward. Tonks followed him. She saw Sirius' eyes flicker with recognition on seeing her.

"Come to my office at once, both of you. Lord Black, I suppose that you will also be interested in knowing what has happened. Do come along as well. And Auror Moody, let me be very clear. From now on, my orders have to be explicitly followed and such an incident must _never_ occur again. I will not put children's lives at risk at any cost. Even if it means taking away their _sense of adventure_."

Sirius inclined his head in a sharp nod of agreement. The four of them turned away from a gaping Moody and went to the Minister's office. On their way, Tonks could not help thinking that upon hearing about Kyle Pucey being on the train, Moody was going to be in a lot of trouble.

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Harry was pretty unimpressed upon seeing Hogwarts. Salem Academy had sprawling grounds that stretched as far as the eye could see with modern buildings dotting the campus just like any other university. Hogwarts on the other hand seemed to be stuck in the 1500's. The cold rain pouring down on them as they made their way to the castle in the Thestral-drawn carriages was another downer. Didn't Dumbledore know of weather charms? It was not too difficult to cast one on the entire campus. Harry and his friends had at least had the sense to cast water repelling charms on themselves. The rest of the students sat huddled up, shivering in the carriages.

The ones who had been under the Cruciatus were on stretchers that had been conjured by Kingsley and the woman who went by the name Tonks. Harry wondered if she was related to Sirius. He had mentioned that his cousin Andromeda had married a muggleborn called Ted Tonks. She had been blasted off the Black family tree of course. The Blacks were a very loving family that way.

Finally, they reached the castle. Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw a line of bedraggled first years getting of the boats. He was sure that half of them would soon catch a cold. The students were all ushered into the Great Hall for the feast. Harry rolled his eyes at this stupidity. Wasn't it more important to treat their injuries first? The feast could surely wait!

A stern looking witch walked up to him. She looked at him speculatively. She must be Professor McGonagall, the Transfiguration Professor. Remus had told Harry all about the teachers at Hogwarts. From what Harry knew, she was supposed to be fair but strict. However, she was a staunch supporter of Dumbledore to the point of turning a blind eye to his faults. Harry wondered what would win in the end – her sense of fairness or her blind faith in the old fool. Anyway, Harry did not mind giving her a chance at the very least. His mother, Remus and Sirius had all respected her.

"Mr. Potter? I am Professor McGonagall. The Headmaster would like to have a few words with you before the feast starts. Kindly come with me. I shall get a student to escort you to his office."

"There will be no need for that Professor." Interjected Blaise politely. "I will escort him." Harry rolled his eyes mentally. Blaise had been adamant that he would not check himself into the hospital wing. Finally, Kingsley had relented and had personally given him extra potions that would negate most of the effect of the Cruciatus. However, Harry could tell, that the auror had not been happy doing so. Honestly, at times Blaise acted like a real Gryffindor.

For a moment, McGonagall's face fell. However, she quickly recovered the next moment. "Very well, Mr. Zabini. Kindly take him at once. The Headmaster wants to meet him immediately. The password is 'Acid Pops'"

Harry shot Blaise a grateful smile once they were out of McGonagall's sight. Although he was angry at his friend for ignoring his own injuries he could not help feeling relived. It seemed as though McGonagall would not be very helpful after all. Maybe she was hoping he would be sorted into Gryffindor. Honestly speaking, Harry very much doubted it. He would happily jump off the Astronomy Tower than spend every day in that imbecile's company

"Thanks for that. I wonder which student she had in mind to escort me. She seemed pretty put out when you volunteered."

"You noticed that too, huh." Smirked Blaise. "I guess that she wants to make sure that you become a lion. She must have kept someone like Granger to do the job."

"Granger?"

"Hermionie Granger. She is a muggleborn. Terribly intelligent however she was foolish enough to force the sorting hat to make her a Gryff instead of a Raven. As a result, she is pretty much friendless. Weasley and his cronies make her life hell."

"Why does she not take it up with the teachers then? Are you telling me this wretched school has no anti bullying policy in place?"

Blaise sighed. "If only it were that simple. For some reason, she worships the ground Dumbledore walks on. Don't ask me why. Probably thinks he is the savior of muggleborns. Also, she is not terribly nice. Quite bossy, to be honest. Probably because she is a misfit in her house. Gryffindors are not terribly intelligent. She makes it a point to put down the rest of us in class by pointing out what we are doing wrong. It is terribly annoying."

"But despite all this opposition she still does not complain? I don't understand that."

"Oh, she went to Dumbledore once in her first year regarding Weasley. He just patted her on the head and told her to grin and bear it. Little Miss Know-It-All took that to heart and has followed that ever since."

"Amazing. Just great." Drawled Harry. "Well, we have reached his office now. Might as well make yourself scarce. After all, what will your housemates say on seeing the Italian Heartbreaker Blaise Zabini with the halfblood upstart."

Blaise snorted. "They will live. Anyway, best of luck, Harry. I have a feeling you will need it." And with a two fingered salute he made his way back to the Great Hall.

"Go to Madam Pomfrey, idiot. Get your injuries checked!" called out Harry after his retreating figure.

"Fine, _mother._ " Said Blaise, turning around momentarily.

Shaking his head over his friend's cheek, Harry turned to face the gargoyle. "Acid Pops." The gargoyle jumped aside to reveal a winding staircase. Just then, a thought struck Harry. He quickly cast an imperturbable charm around the area. "Tell me," he asked the gargoyle, "If I had not told you the password, would you have let me in due to my ancestry?"

The gargoyle opened its eyes. Looking at Harry, it bowed. "Certainly, my lord. If you had commanded me to, I would have had no choice but to allow you to enter. This will be applicable all over the castle as well. You need to only ask us and we will grant you passage."

"Good to know. Thanks a lot. What is your name, by the way?"

"Griff. Also, I would like to caution you my lord. The headmaster is not to be trusted. Do be careful."

"I will. Don't worry. And do give Lady Hogwarts my regards."

The gargoyle smiled grotesquely. "Certainly." A wave of magic suddenly passed over the hallway that Harry was standing in. A voice whispered, "Welcome, Harry Potter. I have been waiting for you for a long time."

Harry smiled broadly. "The pleasure is all mine dear lady." He murmured. Then, canceling the charm, he ascended the stairs which terminated outside a massive door. He knocked on it.

The door swung open to reveal the strangest room that Harry had ever seen. It looked more like a room from a science fiction movie than a Headmaster's office. Instruments lay everywhere, buzzing and whirring. Shelves lined the walls, filled with books and artifacts. One wall was devoted to the portraits of the previous headmasters and headmistresses of Hogwarts. A phoenix was in a golden cage. Harry felt a flash of anger on seeing this. Phoenixes were magical birds of fire – the purest of the pure. It was criminal to keep them in a cage.

In the middle of the room stood Dumbledore in midnight blue robes with multicolor swirls on them. He strode up to Harry like he was an old friend.

"My dear boy, it is good to see you." He beamed.

Harry cocked his head. "Professor, I do not recall giving you the permission to address me so informally. Mr. Potter will suffice."

Dumbledore seemed to deflate. However, he quickly got back to his old self.

"Very well, Mr. Potter. Please be seated." He gestured to a cozy red and gold chair in front of his desk. Mentally, Harry shook his head in exasperation. Could the Headmaster be any more biased?

After they were seated, Dumbledore looked at him intently. "You must be wondering why I wanted to meet you so very urgently." He stated, in his superior grandfatherly way.

Not having been surprised in the least regarding this meeting, Harry just nodded politely. He felt a slight brush of magic coming towards him. Harry looked up at once. Immediately, Dumbledore averted his eyes. The magic disappeared. Harry clenched his fists. Looks like the old fool never learnt. He had tried to use Legilimency once again. It was lucky that the old man had not actually invaded his mind. If he had done so, Harry would have destroyed his mind and senses, leaving him as good as a vegetable, regardless of the scandal that would cause.

Regardless, he would be informing Sirius about this. It was a good thing that Riptide had taught Occlumency to both Liz and him years ago. It seemed as though he could expect surprise attacks such as these on a daily basis.

"I heard that the Hogwarts Express was attacked on its way to Hogwarts. I was hoping you could tell me exactly what happened."

"Headmaster, I have one question." Said Harry, the picture of politeness.

"Certainly, my bo- I mean, Mr. Potter."

"Why are you asking me about this? I am not a prefect or the head boy. It seems odd that you would ask a new transfer student about an event such as this. Moreover, you are not an auror. This gives you no right to question me about this event in the first place. Being the Headmaster, you have only got the right to ask me about matters pertinent to my behavior in your school that too, in presence of my Head of the House or my mother or guardian. Since I have not been sorted yet, this entire meeting should not have taken place in the first place according to the school rules."

"So you refuse to tell me what transpired on the train?" asked Dumbledore leaning forward. However, he had paled slightly. Clearly, he had not expected Harry to be so well versed with the rules.

"I do. Anyway, I am pretty sure that you must already be aware about what has occurred. There is some other reason as to why you have called me here. Why don't you come straight to the point?"

Dumbledore sighed. "It looks like you don't trust me." He looked at Harry sorrowfully. "Very well, I will tell you the real reason why I called you here. I received reports that you were probably the only student on the train who engaged in battle with the death eaters and was able to hold your own. You probably saved many lives."

Harry shrugged. "And how is that a problem?"

"Because of the methods that you used my boy!" exclaimed Dumbledore agitatedly. "Reports described you dueling to kill, not injure. You apparently conjured two wolves to tear out throats of two men! And in addition to this, your ability as a Parselmouth made you command vipers to kill everyone in sight!"

"Once again, I fail to understand how all of this justifies you calling me to your office. My abilities as a Parselmouth are well known to society after I claimed the seat of Slytherin in the Wizengamot. As for my dueling to kill, don't tell me you expected me to just disarm those bastards and allow them to escape with a rap on their knuckles free to wreak havoc again. This is a war we are fighting, Headmaster. This is not school where you expect a mild reprimand to sort out matters." Said Harry icily.

"But the techniques you used were inhuman! You went out of your way to slay anyone in your path! You need to understand, killing is not the answer. Although you might not have used the unforgivables you did use borderline dark spells all the same. The people you killed had families of their own, wives and children. Many of them might have been forced to attack the train. You did not need to kill them all. If they had been just stunned instead, they would have been captured by the aurors and put into prison."

"You mean like Kyle Pucey." Cut in Harry, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I recall him being sentenced to Azkaban and yet he was on the train. Care to explain how that happened? And for the record you very well know that no one can take the dark mark unwillingly. Voldemort does not work that way.

And as for the families that you speak of? Well, what about the hundreds of children on the train? I suppose it does not matter if _they_ are tortured to death. After all, who are we to decide that that is wrong? We have to just spare hardened killers who do so in order to give them a chance to _repent_. Am I right? Well, I am sorry, but I don't work that way. What do you expect? Bellatrix to suddenly waltz over to you and beg for forgiveness? Open your eyes. That is not going to happen."

"My dear boy, please try to understand." Beseeched Dumbledore in alarm. He had to make Harry come to his side. The boy had too strong a desire to live. This would never do! He had to sacrifice himself for the greater good!

"I understand everything Headmaster. As far as I am concerned, this conversation is over. See you at the feast." And saying so, Harry stalked out of the office leaving a speechless Headmaster behind.

"Bravo!" exclaimed Phineas Nigellus when the door closed. "Now that was some speech." Dumbledore glared at him angrily. In the cage, Fawkes trilled happily. He had at last met his new master.

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Tonks was scared. Scratch that, she was terrified. There was pin drop silence in the room once Kingsley had recounted exactly what had transpired on the Express. The temperature seemed to have dropped by ten degrees. Scrimgeour looked murderous. And if that was not enough, Sirus Black looked ready to kill.

"What do you mean that Kyle Pucey was on the train?" demanded Scrimgeour. "How in Merlin's name did he manage to escape from the holding cells?"

"He-he never reached them in the first place, Minister." Stammered Kingsley. "I had checked the cells the day after the last Wizengamot meeting. They were empty. When I asked Auror Moody about it, he said that the prisoners had already been carted off to Azkaban."

"Who had arrested Pucey after his release from St. Mungos?" asked Sirius.

"Auror Moody and Proudfoot had gone to do that." Interjected Tonks. "I remember as it was technically speaking, my shift but Mad-Eye insisted on going himself. I did not question him at that time as I assumed that you asked him to supervise the arrest personally."

"I see. So you are saying that Auror Moody deliberately let Pucey escape? I find that difficult to believe." frowned Scrimgeour. "It is unlikely that Moody will be in league with Voldemort. Moreover, he could not have been under the Imperius Curse. It is well known that he can fight it. Do any of you know what is going on?"

Kingsley and Tonks exchanged looks. They knew exactly what was going on having joined the Order of the Phoenix. At the Order Meetings, Dumbledore had ordered Moody to hereby release all important death eaters in his custody in order to give them a chance to reform and repent for their crimes. This move had been vociferously opposed by many members including Tonks and Kingsley but Dumbledore had been resolute.

Thankfully, he had not included Tonks and Kingsley in his orders. Maybe he assumed that Moody would control them. However, in practice that was not happening. The two of them had made a pact and had begun sending death eaters to Azkaban anonymously using the name of other aurors to avoid detection.

Apparently, he wanted the political support of the Noble and Ancient Houses in order to pass a resolution for the arrest of Sirius Black, Lily Potter and Remus Lupin as they had 'kidnapped' Harry Potter when he was a child. However, the Wizengamot Meeting had dashed all his hopes. Harry Potter was a confident young man who adored his mother and godfather. The location of Remus Lupin was still unknown, much to Dumbledore's displeasure.

Lately, Tonks had observed that the Leader of the Light was becoming increasingly obsessed with the Boy-Who-Lived. To add to the mystery, the boy seemed to barely tolerate him. However, she supposed that was only to be expected. Dumbledore probably wanted to protect the boy from harm and after living his entire life on the run with the help of his mother and godfather it was only natural that Harry would not trust people who were trying to portray them in a bad light. However, she still had her doubts. Pushing these thoughts to the back of her mind for now, she tried to concentrate at the conversation that was going on. Kingsley was now giving a detailed explanation about the death of Kyle Pucey.

" - yes. Mr. Harry Potter admitted to killing him along with seven other death eaters. He also provided us memories about the encounter as proof. Mr. Blaise Zabini and Miss Daphne Greengrass admit to killing one death eater each as well. All three students swear that this was done in self-defense. After questioning several eye witnesses, I am inclined to believe it. Mr. Neville Longbottom, Miss Susan Bones and Mr. Ernie Macmillan helped keep the younger students safe from the attack.

Also, there are several disturbing reports of Mr. Draco Malfoy actively helping the death eaters in the fight and then changing sides once it was apparent that they were losing. We managed to get the train safely to Hogwarts but it is apparent that a lot of damage was done. The protective enchantments on the train have been eroded away. In fact, they have not been replaced for at least three years."

Sirius' eyebrows shot up. "And why were they not replaced, Auror Shacklebolt?"

Kingsley looked down ashamed. "Although it is decreed that the enchantments have to be replaced every year, this is hardly ever followed. They are replenished once in five years in practice. Dumbledore is the one who checked the enchantments every year. He reported that they were all in order and would last for two years more. I am really sorry Lord Black. We aurors should not have been so very complacent in the current situation. You are right to blame us for this tragedy. It was indeed our fault."

Tonks nodded her assent. She too felt terrible. Although she had graduated only last year, she should have been more vigilant. She should have insisted on accompanying Moody to St. Mungos. The faint doubts that she had regarding Dumbledore only escalated. Although she had joined Dumbledore's Order of Phoenix she was now beginning to question her decision. It was not right to let convicted killers escape, regardless of the circumstances. It was only prolonging the war.

If her mother was to be believed, her uncle had also been a staunch supporter of Dumbledore until that fateful Halloween night. But upon his return to England, he had gone out of his way to show that he did not completely agree with the Headmaster's views. This was completely unlike him. After all, Sirius Black had run away from his family after getting sorted into Gryffindor and turning to the light side. However, upon his return, he had aligned himself with the House of Greengrass and Zabini – Houses that were well known to be grey if not dark. But to add to the mystery, Scrimgeour who was firmly against Voldemort seemed to trust him.

Something was not right. Tonks could not help feeling that she was missing a piece of the puzzle. She had to talk to her uncle and find out what was going on. She could not believe that the laughing young man who used to play with her as a child had decided to oppose Dumbledore without good reason. Besides, it was not as if he was in league with Voldemort. His godson had smashed through the death eaters like a hot knife through butter. This was way more effective than the 'forgive and forget' policy of Dumbledore that was steadily getting on her nerves.

As she walked home that night, Tonks made up her mind. First thing tomorrow, she would send an owl to her uncle asking for an appointment to meet him.

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The sorting ceremony had just begun when Harry entered the Great Hall. He saw Liz standing behind a pillar near the Slytherin table. He joined her.

"So what did he want?" muttered Liz.

"Not now. Tell you later. Use the mirror to contact me once the feast is done." Too late he realized his slip up.

Liz whirled round sharply. "Are you implying that we will not be sorted in the same House?" she hissed.

Harry looked at her guiltily. He wished that he could tell her what he had planned to do but Sirius had made him promise that he wouldn't do so. "I-I can't tell you right now. It is all a part of the plan. I am really sorry Liz, but I had to do so."

"Sometimes, you can be a real prat you know." She turned away from him, shaking with anger. How could he do that! Liz had always assumed that Harry would also be sorted in Slytherin with her in order to be close to his fiancée and friends.

Wasn't it enough that he had to face that psychotic mad man soon? Must he also have to get sorted into a house in which he would be a misfit? Sometimes, Liz really hated her uncle Sirius. Her brother had got his goddamn noble and self-sacrificing attitude from him and always wanted to do what was right. Was it so very bad to be selfish for once?

Finally, the first years were sorted. Dumbledore stood up. The entire hall fell silent.

"There are two more students who need to be sorted." His voice boomed. "They are transfer students and will be starting their fourth and sixth year respectively. I hope that you all will make them feel welcome at Hogwarts. May I request them to kindly come forward."

Slowly, Harry and Liz walked near the stage.

"After you," whispered Harry smiling sadly.

"Potter, Elizabeth!" called out McGonagall.

Liz walked onto the stage. Professor McGonagall put the Hat on her head. Liz let her mental shields fall away. After all, that was the only way the Hat could make a correct decision. ' _Interesting,'_ whispered a voice in her head. ' _You have bravery and courage and plenty of intelligence as well. You are unwaveringly loyal to those you love and are also clever enough to get out of a sticky situation by using your wits. You know, Dumbledore has ordered me to put you in Gryffindor.'_

' _And you are going to do that?_ ' demanded Liz. _'If the Headmaster has already decided where I am to be sorted, I fail to see what your job is.'_

 _'_ _Snarky, are we? Well, although the Headmaster might wish for many things, you and I both know that you are most unsuited for Gryffindor. You would probably set the entire tower to flames if I put you there.'_

 _'_ _You got that right! Now you know where you are going to sort me, don't you? Why don't you hurry up and do it already?'_

 _'_ _And spoil the fun of watching the Headmaster squirm with apprehension?'_ chuckled the Hat. _'However,'_ it hastened on seeing that Liz was close to losing her temper, _'I think that I will continue this conversation with your brother. The Headmaster has given me quite a few instructions regarding him as well.'_

 _'_ _Not that you are going to follow them of course.'_ Remarked Liz snidely. _'You don't seem like a push over.'_

 _'_ _Such flattery! Well, it is obvious that you will do well in_ SLYTHERIN!" It called out. There was pin drop silence in the hall. Then Harry, Blaise and Astoria started clapping. Tracy and Daphne joined in. Reluctantly, the rest of the Slytherins followed. They did not look too happy. McGonagall's face was a picture. She looked as if she had been confounded. Dumbledore's eyes hardened. This was not going to plan.

Liz happily walked to the Slytherin table and sat next to Astoria who gave her a hug.

"Congratulations Liz!" she squealed. The sound carried through the entire hall who continued to gape at the sister of the Boy-Who-Lived who had crossed some unwritten rule by getting sorted into the house of snakes.

"Potter Harry!" called out McGonagall at last, once she had snapped out of her stupor.

Harry walked onto the stage. McGonagall shot him a worried look as he donned the Hat. Harry, too, pulled down his shields. He trusted the Hat. It was bound to the magic of Hogwarts and would not tell Dumbledore anything that it had seen.

' _Mr. Potter, I thought that your sister's mind was fascinating but yours is ten times more intriguing.'_ Whispered the Hat. ' _I thought that I would be meeting you when you turned eleven but here you are, five years later.'_

 _'_ _Yes, wonderful isn't it?'_ remarked Harry dryly.

' _You have intelligence – plenty of it and courage too. You would willingly die for your family and I can see that your political acumen makes you worthy of being the Heir to the House of Slytherin. Now where do I put you? Dumbledore had ordered me to put you and your sister in Gryffindor and though it would have been a wrong choice for your sister, you would do quite well in the House of the lions. However, you don't seem too pleased by it. May I ask you why?'_

 _'_ _You know the reason all too well. It will be unwise to put me in both Slytherin and Gryffindor due to the bitter rivalry between the two houses. You are very well aware that as the heir apparent to both the Houses I cannot be put in any one of them. My magic that I have due to the other house will rebel against it.'_

 _'_ _Ah! Yes. I see that you have been made aware of the perils of being the heir to two houses that are as different from each other as fire and ice. Your situation was never meant to arise. The combined power of the family magic of the two of the founders would end up being too strong for anyone if it was ever joined but yet here you are. You have an extraordinarily powerful core but it needs to be stabilized still. Putting you in either Slytherin or Gryffindor will disturb the equilibrium you have managed to attain. Very well, now Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff? Which one would you prefer?'_

 _'_ _I think you don't need to ask me. You know the answer all too well.'_

 _'_ _Such faith in me is shown by only a few.'_ Said the Hat, touched. _'You are a great wizard Harry Potter. And humble in addition to that. I saw what your godfather has requested me to do. I will oblige your request. May you succeed in your endeavors. I shall put you in_ HUFFLEPUFF!"

The silence was deafening. All the students stared wide eyed at the Boy-Who-Lived. The Hufflepuff table, led by Susan Bones burst into applause. Dumbledore felt like setting the Sorting Hat on fire. Why had it not obeyed him? McGonagall looked as though she had been slapped. Harry Potter had to be in Gryffindor! He had to! Professor Sprout looked on happily. From what she had heard about Harry Potter, she would be honored to have the boy in her house.

Meanwhile, the boy in question was happily sitting at the Hufflepuff table next to Ernie Macmillan who had taken it upon himself to introduce Harry to everyone. Apparently, defeating Kyle Pucey in a duel was enough to win the boy's respect.

Susan too, had decided to give Harry a chance. Her aunt had always spoken highly about the Potters and Sirius Black. Also, Harry had won her respect with the way he had handled himself in the Wizengamot and the way he had fought on the train today. Not that it meant she trusted him completely. She had to find out more about what being the Heir of Slytherin actually entailed.

Following the lead of Susan and Ernie, the rest of the students also went out of their way to make Harry feel welcome. Looking at the friendly faces of all the people surrounding him Harry smiled. Sirius had been right as usual. Harry had done the correct thing by getting sorted into Hufflepuff.

 **Now firstly, I owe you all a big apology for putting up this chapter so late. The thing is that my classes have started and so I am not getting much time to update this story. Also, the updates will be becoming less frequent now - maybe once a month. I do hope you all understand. Let me make it clear that I am NOT abandoning this story. I fully intend to finish it. It is just that the updates will be fewer.**

 **I do hope you all liked this chapter. The reasons for Sirius wanting Harry to be sorted into Hufflepuff will be revealed later.**

 **I have another question to ask you guys. Do you want Hermionie to be friends with Harry? Do let me know your opinion regarding this.**

 **Once again, a big thank you to all of you wonderful people who have stuck with me through this story. You guys are wonderful.**

 **See you in a few weeks with the next chapter!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: Same as Chapter 1**

 **Chapter 14**

 **A Month at Hogwarts**

It had been a month since Hogwarts had begun. Liz sat down at the Hufflepuff table with a sigh. Four heads snapped up at once to meet her gaze.

"What is the matter?" she asked suspiciously.

Susan, Ernie, Justin and Hannah smiled up at her angelically. "Nothing." They chorused.

"Alright then." Said Liz warily helping herself to some toast.

"Oh Liz," said Susan casually, "You would not happen to know why Malfoy ended up in the hospital wing last night, would you?"

Liz raised an eyebrow. So that was it. "I may know something about it." She smirked dangerously. "Someone might have cast the cutting hex on him in order to aid a friend who was about to be assaulted by him. But then, this is all just speculation."

"Yes, all speculation." Drawled Astoria taking a seat next to her. Tracy and Daphne followed suit. Hannah greeted them with a smile.

"So what exactly happened?" asked Ernie impatiently. "Stop going round in circles."

"Aw, but that is so much fun!" laughed Tracy. "Anyway," she hastened on seeing Ernie's glare, "Malfoy thought that it would be a good idea to try and assault Ginny in the dungeons last night. Liz and I were on our way to the common room when we heard her cries. Long story short, Malfoy was subjected to quite a few curses including the cutting curse and bone breaking curse. Ginny had thankfully not been harmed. She had managed to hold the bastard off before he could actually try anything." She concluded soberly.

"But why did she not try to hex him?" asked Susan anxiously, all her good humor gone.

"He had summoned her wand during dinner. She did not have a chance."

"Anyway, we got him good." Said Liz fiercely. "He ended up with four broken ribs, huge cuts on his arms and a shattered kneecap."

"And also 'RAPIST' written above him. We left him in the corridor after the attack." Added Tracy.

"You should have killed him." Said Daphne quietly, her eyes hard. Her hands were shaking. Once again, she thanked her stars that Harry had been there to save her from being betrothed to that psychopath.

"How is Ginny now?" asked Justin once the awkward silence had passed.

"Not too bad, considering the circumstances. She spent the night in the room of requirement though. She did not want to go back to the common room. However, she will be fine. She is strong. Moreover, I saw her talking to Luna this morning. She looked happier." Answered Astoria.

"Is she going to tell Dumbledore about this?" asked Hannah skeptically.

Daphne snorted. "Not a chance. Do you think that Dumbledore will even care what happens to a Slytherin? Let us not forget, he will hear absolutely nothing against Malfoy. He wants to convert him to the light side. Not that he has any chance of doing so. Malfoy is already training to be a death eater. Rumor has it that he will take the mark this Christmas. Moreover, I doubt Ginny's parents will themselves support her. Molly Weasley will undoubtedly say that Ginny brought the incident upon herself by not getting sorted into Gryffindor."

"That is ridiculous!" objected Justin. "Certainly her mother cannot hate her that much!"

"Oh really? You think so?" asked Tracy sarcastically. "Molly Weasley has only two goals in life. Believe that Dumbledore is Merlin himself and get Ginny married to the richest wizard possible. And since Dumbledore believes that all Slytherins are evil, so does Molly. Even if it means turning against her own daughter."

Just then Blaise sat down at the table looking thunderous. "Is it true?" he demanded. "Did Malfoy actually try to rape Ginny last night?"

"The news has spread all over Hogwarts then?" asked Daphne, horrified. Her heart went out to Ginny. The poor girl! The incident was traumatic enough but to have the whole school gossiping about it was worse.

"Yes." Nodded Blaise grimly. "Originally there was just speculation as to how Malfoy was attacked last night but he is now out of the Hospital Wing and is telling anyone who is willing to listen that Ginny had begged him to sleep with her and then attacked him."

"And he did not mention us at all?" said Liz incredulously. "It was Tracy and I who hexed him, not Ginny."

"He is probably too scared to take your name Liz." said Susan sadly. "After all, you showed him on your very first night that you were not someone to mess with."

Liz sighed. Her mind flashed back to her first night in Slytherin.

 _She had entered the common room with Astoria after the feast only to find herself facing a wand. The common room fell silent. She looked up to see Malfoy's face sneering at her. He was flanked by Crabbe and Goyle as well._

 _"_ _So, a half blood whore has decided to get sorted into the House of Snakes."_

 _The next second, Liz, Astoria Daphne and Blaise had whipped out their wands and pointed them at Malfoy._

 _"_ _I would watch my mouth if I were you, Malfoy." Said Blaise lightly. "Don't want to insult the wrong person now, do we."_

 _"_ _Zabini. I thought you had better sense." Said Malfoy arrogantly. "Hanging around with whores, blood traitors and half bloods. I expected better from you. I suppose I will have to teach you a lesson, won't I?_ Crucio! _"_

 _Liz eyes widened._ "Protect him!" _she hissed in Parseltongue. Blaise would end up in St. Mungos if he faced the Cruciatus twice in one day. The silver snake from the tapestry behind her darted out and swallowed the curse. It then threw it back at Malfoy. He screamed in agony until he fainted due to the pain. Crabbe and Goyle hastily drew back. They were quickly stunned and bound by Tracy and Daphne. Blaise quickly collected the three wands that had fallen._

"Stop" _hissed Liz at once, alarmed. Merlin knew what wards Dumbledore had in his school regarding Unforgivables. If he caught Liz like this, she had no doubt that the old coot would have no qualms throwing her into Azkaban. "_ He is not worth it."

 _The snake reared up its head._ "No one hurts my mistress and gets away with it _." It said indignantly. "_ Let me kill the boy. He brings shame to the House of Slytherin by his very existence."

"I know. But I have other plans for him. I want him to suffer before my brother and I kill him. Now is not the time for him to die, however much I might wish to end his miserable life. Now I want you to do something for me. Call upon all the snakes in the common room at once. Tell them that I have summoned them."

"As you wish."

 _In less than a minute, not less than fifty snakes glided out from every nook and cranny of the room to the shrieks and gasps of the other students._

 _"_ Now," _said Liz turning to them._ "Bind the blonde scum on the floor and slowly fill him with your poison. Not enough to kill him, but to make him suffer. Make him writhe with pain. A single bite should suffice."

 _The snakes slithered up to Draco. Two four of them bound his feet. Four more bound his hands. An adder bit his left arm. On Draco's left and right Crabbe and Goyle were thrown unceremoniously, face down._

 _Liz walked up to the unconscious blonde. "Ennervate." She said calmly._

 _Slowly, the blonde's eyes fluttered open. "Let me go at once you bitch!" he spat angrily. Then, his gaze filled with terror upon seeing his bindings. "What have you done? Let me go! When the dark lord hears about this, he will kill you all."_

 _"_ _Tut, tut, Malfoy, I expected better from you. Now let me tell you what kind of a situation you are in. My pets have bound you hand and foot and you have received a bite from an adder just a few seconds ago. If this poison is allowed to spread in your blood, you will be writhing in such pain in five minutes that you will beg for the Cruciatus Curse. Now here is what I have to say – to all of you in fact." She turned to face the rest of her housemates._

 _"_ _If any of you are found bullying, raping or cursing any member of the school I will make you suffer. I will set my snakes on you and let me tell you, they are hungry for fresh human flesh. I will not prevent them from killing you. I will not tolerate any more of this kind of behavior from Slytherins. I cannot believe how low you all have sunken. Now, I cannot change your beliefs but let me warn you that if any of you are assisting Voldemort in any way, you that you are signing your own death sentence. My brother and I will not rest till we have killed you – and that too, in a very painful way. Do you understand me?"_

 _"_ _You can't do that." Gasped Draco. The poison had started taking effect. "It is not as though a fourth year and that too a good for nothing Potter will know spells of any consequence. You are bluffing."_

 _"_ _Oh really? Well, let us see how you feel now." Said Liz calmly, proceeding to cast the bone crushing curse on his right hand. Slowly, his right palm crumbled into nothingness. He screamed in agony._

 _"_ _Please, stop." He begged. The poison was slowly spreading. It was like being branded by a hot iron rod again and again._

 _"_ _Begging, are we Malfoy?" taunted Liz her eyes flashing. "Well, I will stop on one condition. Blaise, hand me the wands." Blaise handed them to her quietly, his eyes wide. He had seen Harry get so angry before, but never Liz. This was new._

 _Holding them in front of the blonde she snapped them clean into half. The room drew a collective gasp. Mutterings broke out. It was considered the greatest insult in the wizarding world to snap a wizard's wand in front of him. It symbolized that he was considered no better than a squib._

 _"_ Draw the poison out of that sorry excuse of a human before I change my mind. I am tired of his cries. _" Liz hissed to the cobra. Reluctantly, the cobra complied._

 _"_ _Now, because this is my first day, I have decided to be merciful and not kill you. But the next time you antagonize me, I will not be so understanding. I have no sympathy for young death eaters-in-training. Now get lost. Oh, and good luck getting a new wand."_

 _Saying so, Liz ascended up the stairs to the dorms. The crowd parted, clearing a way for her. Some people's eyes showed fear, others respect. However, it was a red head who caught Liz's eye. She was standing in a corner and eyed Liz speculatively. She slowly nodded in appreciation._

 _During the course of the week, Liz would come to know that the red head was none other than Ginny Weasley and an incident in the library which involved hexing a certain group of thick headed Gryffindor sixth years would ensure that she would end up becoming one of Liz's closest friends at Hogwarts._

Liz shook her head sadly. She had not thought that threatening Malfoy would have such disastrous consequences. Sure, after that night, he had not attempted anything. Neither had his cronies. Still, she should have been more vigilant. After all, once a death eater, always a death eater. And Malfoy was a death eater in every possible way. He just did not bear the dark mark.

"Where is Harry?" asked Daphne suddenly, jerking her out of her reverie. "He needs to get here. The match is going to start in an hour."

Just then, there was a commotion in at the entrance of the Great Hall. The nine of them got up and pushed their way forward through the crowd. In the center of the crowd were Ron Weasley, Ginny, Luna and Harry. Ron was red in the face. He was yelling at Ginny.

"You little whore! How could you do this? Sleeping with Malfoy, of all people! What were you thinking? Wait till I tell mum about this. You have brought shame upon our entire family."

Ginny was pale. She just stared at Ron unable to speak. She was trembling.

"Weasley, shut up." Said Harry coldly. "For once in your life try to see what is in front of your face."

"Stay out of it Potter! This is a family matter. I don't want a dark wizard to get involved in this." Yelled Ron, red in the face.

"Are you really so blind, Ronald?" asked Ginny angrily, regaining her ability of speech once more "Are you really so very caught up in your own delusions that you are berating me for something that was not my fault in the very least? What is wrong with you?"

"It would never have happened if you had not spread your legs for him! This has just happened because you are a filthy snake. Merlin knows how many other people you have slept with." He moved forward enraged, ready to strike the petite red head.

Quick as lightening, Ron fell to the floor clutching his face in agony. Bat wings flapped around him. Ginny was not notorious for casting the bat bogey hex for nothing. Harry strode over to the whimpering teen and grabbed him by the collar.

"Now listen to me Weasley," he hissed angrily, "Open your mouth once more to insult your sister and I will not hesitate to break your face. You think that Slytherin is so very bad? Well let me tell you as the Heir to the Noble and Most Ancient House of Gryffindor that your very presence in Gryffindor sickens me to the core. You are a spineless turd who will do well to think before he speaks. If you ever harm your sister in any manner again, I will challenge you to a wizard's duel and kill you. DO YOU UNDERSTAND?"

Ron paled considerably. "You cannot do that." He weakly protested.

"Oh I can and I will." Said Harry dangerously. "I despise bullies and prejudice of any kind. And you are the physical embodiment of both these qualities. What has Ginny ever done to you? Got sorted into a house you do not approve of? What do you think? That all Slytherins are dark and all Gryffindors are on the side of the light? What does that make me then, as the heir to both of these Houses? Have you ever tried using your miniscule brain to think about it?" Abruptly, he shoved the red head away. "You disgust me." Said Harry coldly. He started walking away. The crowd began to disperse, however a resounding smack brought them all back eagerly.

Luna stood over the red head, shaking with anger. A red hand print bloomed across Ron's face.

"That is for insulting my friend." She whispered angrily. For once, the dreamy look in her eyes was practically non-existent.

"You cannot bully people like that Potter!" said an insistent voice in the background. "How can you attest to the fact that there are good Slytherins? And as for you being the heir to both Slytherin and Gryffindor that matter itself it up for debate. Why, in Hogwarts A History –"

"Granger, shut the fuck up." Snapped Harry not even turning to face her. "Whatever is written in your beloved books is not the bloody gospel truth."

Hermionie looked terribly affronted. "Really!" she exclaimed, but Harry had already walked off with Luna and Ginny."

"Are you alright?" asked Astoria concernedly, giving Ginny a hug.

"Yes, it is fine. Ron has always been an insensitive prat. I should have gotten used to it by now." She smiled weakly.

"Do you want to stay indoors instead of going for the match?" asked Blaise kindly.

"No thank you." Said Ginny, her eyes glinting. "I want to see my brother make an even greater fool of himself on the Quidditch pitch."

"Yes ma'am." Saluted Justin, his eyes twinkling. "I will try my best as a beater to knock him off his broom. That is, provided that you hex him after the match."

"I should be objecting to this," said Susan wryly, fingering her prefect badge, "but I really can't help supporting this. Give him hell Harry, Justin. I want to see Hufflepuff flatten Gryffindor at least once while I am at Hogwarts."

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The meeting with Nymphadora had gone better than Sirius had expected. She had been more than willing to listen to his side of the story and had been surprisingly unprejudiced regarding her own opinion of Dumbledore. Of course, it had helped that Dumbledore had been stupid enough to believe that he could get away with sending captured death eaters scot-free with just a rap on their knuckles to 'do better next time'.

Tonks had been willing to spy on the Order, much against Sirius' wishes. After all, Andromeda Black would skin him alive if anything were to happen to her only daughter. However, Tonks was nothing if not stubborn. Finally, after outlining his entire plan to Andromeda and 'taking her permission' (his cousin was not a Black for nothing) Tonks had been installed as his spy in the Order, after installing her Occlumeny shields in place of course. Sirius did not put anything past Dumbledore. Last week, Kingsley Shacklebolt too had met Sirius along with Tonks and was eager to join what Sirius called 'Operation Prongslet'.

To be honest, Sirius had some apprehensions about Dumbledore's policy. He could not help feeling that maybe the old fool was hoping that some of the more dangerous death eaters would harm his godson in order to let Dumbledore swoop in to save the day and get Harry on his side.

Still, it was not that Dumbledore's plan would succeed. Alastor Moody had been removed as the Head of the Aurors and in his place, Kingsley had been installed who was smart enough to keep Dumbledore in the dark and help Sirius at the same time. Also, Harry had got training that was usually reserved for Aurors, Hit Wizards and Unspeakables all in one. In training camp, Harry had managed to defeat five fully trained American aurors at once. The boy was prodigy. However, Sirius did not want to push Harry to his limit yet.

Harry's core was still highly unstable, more than it should have been considering that he was nearly seventeen. Riptide had reassured Sirius that it was just because Harry was still getting used to the powerful family magic of both Slytherin and Gryffindor. Riptide had also been emphatic that getting Harry sorted into either of the two houses would cause a great strain on the boy's magic as the magic of the two houses were as compatible as fire and ice. Any slight increase in the affinity to either one of them would cause the other one to react violently with Harry's core causing serious and irreversible damage.

Sirius had heaved a sigh of relief when Harry had written that he had been sorted into Hufflepuff. Lily had been puzzled at his elation (Sirius had not told anyone but Harry the true reason for wanting him to get sorted into Hufflepuff – after all Lily had enough to worry about anyway) but had accepted it just another one of Sirius' idiosyncrasies.

A knock on the door brought him out of his reverie. Lily entered the room beaming.

"Remus has sent a letter." She said excitedly. "Apparently, the talks with werewolves in Bulgaria and Romania have gone really well. They are willing to support us as long as the werewolf law is amended."

"That is amazing." Said Sirius happily. The talks with Frances Macmillan had gone well. If everything went smoothly, the werewolf amendment should get passed by Christmas due to the help of Greengrass, Zabini, Bones and Macmillan. He had not wanted to risk sending Remus to look for allies in the werewolf community in the beginning. It reminded him too much of Dumbledore. All too well, he remembered the times when Remus would come back battered and bloody after meeting savage packs who had already joined the dark side.

It had been Lily who had accidently stumbled upon some literature that revealed that there were several packs who had migrated to Bulgaria and Romania due to the greater werewolf rights that were established there during the first wizarding war in order to escape being hunted down by Greyback until they surrendered.

Just like wizards, there were those like Greyback who believed in bloodshed and torture and others like Remus who wanted a peaceful existence. Seeing this, Remus had insisted that he would go and try to talk to them. He was doing this 'not because he was being forced to due to any manipulations, but because he genuinely wanted to'. Lily and Sirius had accompanied him as far as France but then had to return before anyone noticed their absence.

"Yes. Apparently, there are complete werewolf colonies in those countries that have been established by the government." Continued Lily. "Werewolves have equal rights as wizards for employment. However, some of the werewolves established there still wish to come back to Britain as they miss their home land. The only thing that has been preventing them from doing is the archaic werewolf law – or for that matter, the archaic law for all magical species such as veelas and goblins. They are willing to fight with us as long as they get equal rights."

"Well, that might take a little longer." Said Sirius thoughtfully. "I don't deny that all this should have been done long ago but considering that Dumbledore has all but had the Wizengamot dancing to his tunes since the time he defeated Grindelwald whatever he says is law."

"You know, Amanda was telling me that honestly speaking Dumbledore has little or no sympathy for werewolves, goblins or veelas regardless of how much he preaches to the contrary. He only passed laws that had as much meaning as hippogriff shit. Apparently, he is terribly against the fact that the eldest Weasley is engaged to a one fourth veela. He is trying his best to make Molly Weasley break the match and pass it off as her own idea."

"When did you meet Amanda?" demanded Sirius eagerly. He immediately regretted speaking. Lily had a look in her eye that spelled trouble.

"Yesterday we had gone for coffee in muggle London. You know, Sirius, she fancies you too."

"I don't fancy her!" sputtered the normally unruffled Lord Black turning as red as a tomato. "Why should I?"

"So are you saying that she does not deserve to be admired?" demanded Lily. "I will surely tell her that."

"Not like that! She is a wonderful woman who deserves to be praised. She has raised her son singlehandedly to be a wonderful man and loyal friend and has a heart of gold." Too late he realized his mistake.

"Too true." Smirked Lily. "Now if only you would grow a pair and ask her out. You know, she will not wait forever. She has already waited for you for four years. Her patience is running out you know. I heard that Brian Chambers is pursuing her now. She might just take up his offer."

"Brain Chambers is a self-centered, egoistical prat." Said Sirius heatedly.

"And don't you forget that." Lectured Lily sternly. "You have already sacrificed fifteen years of your life for me and Harry. It is about time you found someone for yourself."

"It wasn't a sacrifice. You and James would have done the same if the situation was reversed." Muttered Sirius. "Besides," he continued sulkily, "I don't see you chasing after Remus to find someone."

"Oh don't worry about Remus." Said Lily gleefully. "I have found the perfect woman for him. I will introduce them once he returns."

Seeing her disappear in a whirl of excitement, Sirius shook his head desperately. Women!

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Daphne could not stop blushing. She did not know what had come over her! The Hufflepuff vs Gryffindor match had got off to a flying start. Harry was the seeker for the Hufflepuff team and had gone out of his way to tick off Weasley by distracting him in every way possible who was finding it increasingly difficult to dodge the bludgers that were being sent his way.

The end result? Weasley managed to spectacularly let more goals in than any other person in the history of Quidditch and Hufflepuff had won with a grand score of 560-90. If looks could kill, Ron Weasley would be a puddle on the floor by now. All the Gryffindors were baying for his blood after his dismal performance. The commenter for the game had been Luna Lovegood who had made it a point to say how the Nargles were prone to 'affect weak minded people and make them do silly things such as letting quaffles in when they were staring them in the face' which made Weasley go as red as his hair.

But all of this paled compared to what happened after the game. Because Daphne 'Ice Queen' Greengrass had walked up to her very Hufflepuff fiancé – resplendent in his canary yellow robes and had given him a hug and a peck on his cheek in front of the whole school. Coming from Daphne, it was as good as her having snogged him within an inch of his life in Snape's classroom.

She could still remember the response of the school as if the event had just occurred a moment ago although it had actually taken place more than two hours ago. Astoria and Liz had whooped with joy, Blaise and Ernie had wolf whistled and the rest of their friends had clapped and cheered. However, not everyone's reactions had been so welcoming.

The Slytherins had been aghast with horror to see one of their own 'fraternizing with a badger' and the Gryffindors had muttered among themselves about how Harry had been turned 'dark'. McGonagall looked as though she was going to burst with rage and Dumbledore looked on outraged. Snape looked on disgustedly at the scene. Only Flitwick, Sprout and Slughorn looked genuinely happy. Daphne was grateful to them for that. Professor Flitwick had always been kind to her and had brought her out of her shell in her first year. And as for Professor Sprout, who could not like her?

Daphne had then glanced up at her fiancé's face and his expression had taken her breath away. His eyes – his deep green eyes looked down at her lovingly and revealed the depth of his feelings for her which took her breath away. Harry had stared at her intensely for a moment – almost as though he was looking into her very soul, and Daphne had found herself unable to look away. At that instant she knew that if Harry were to kiss her in front of the whole school, she would not have cared in the very least.

However, the moment was broken by the rest of the Hufflepuffs who wanted to congratulate their team for registering a win over Gryffindor for the first time in twenty years and Daphne slipped away alone to take a walk around the castle and sort out her feelings for a certain green eyed, dark haired wizard.

Her mind was in a whirl. Daphne had never allowed herself the luxury to even consider the fact that she might marry for love. Being a pure blood witch with no brothers to carry on the family line, she knew that she would have to marry a wizard who belonged to a Noble and Ancient House in order to protect her family name.

Daphne touched her lips hesitantly. They still tingled from the brief time they had rested on Harry's cheek. Her face grew warm thinking about how she had felt when Harry's arms had tentatively wrapped around her waist. If she was being honest with herself, she had wanted to remain in his arms forever, pressed up against him, inhaling the scent of wood, treacle tart and pine that was just so _Harry_.

She was a mess. There was no proof that Harry felt the same way. 'But he did look at you so very intensely at that moment like you were the only one present in the room' whispered the small, hopeful voice in her head. 'His eyes clearly showed that he loves you.'

Daphne shook her head in exasperation. There was only one thing that she could do. It was about time that she and Harry spoke about their feelings for each other. They were getting married for Merlin's sake! There was no use dancing around each other.

Having made up her mind, the blonde haired Slytherin walked back to her dormitory. She managed to sneak in undetected having cast a disillusionment charm on herself. The last thing Daphne needed was to be the center of attention when she was so very confused with herself. She flopped down onto her bed with a sigh. However, the next instant she shot up with a start. There was something on the mattress.

" _Lumos_ " whispered Daphne.

On the bed lay a small piece of parchment. How on earth had it gotten there in the first place? Daphne had warded her room against intruders. Casting a quick spell on it, she was relieved to find that there was no magic residue attached to it which meant that it could not be a portkey that might spirit her away to goodness knows where.

With trembling fingers, she opened the parchment. On it, scribbled hastily was a message:

 _There will be a simultaneous attack on the Mininstry and Hogsmeade on the 31_ _st_ _of October which also happens to be the first Hogsmeade weekend of this year. Take the necessary precautions._

 _A Friend_

Daphne's eyebrows rose. This was interesting, to say the least.

 **So that was Chapter 14, everyone. I hope you all found it interesting.**

 **Who do you think sent the mysterious message? Is it even true? More clues in the subsequent chapters to come!**

 **A big thank you to all you wonderful people who have reviewed, followed and favorited this story. Your comments really make my day.**

 **See you soon with the next chapter!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: Same as Chapter 1**

 **Chapter 15**

 **Interlude: Plans, Romance and Disappointment**

"You sent for me, Professor?" asked Hermione hesitantly, entering the Headmaster's office. Sunlight streamed through the windows – rare for late October. It was beautiful on the Hogwarts' grounds – the perfect end to the perfect day for many; however, that sentiment was not shared here.

The Headmaster was not alone. Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape were also present. The two of them were glaring daggers at each other. Behind them, the portraits on the walls looked on curiously at the scene in front of them.

"Ah, Miss Granger! Do come in." said Dumbledore merrily, his eyes twinkling unconcerned about the fact that someone might get murdered any second in his office. Snape was still twirling his wand nastily in his hand. "You must be wondering why you have been summoned my dear." He continued in his grandfatherly manner.

Hermione flushed. "A little, yes." She murmured. She was not going to mention that she had spent the better part of the last four days racking her brains as to why she had been summoned ever since Dennis Creevey had given her Dumbledore's message or that she had scoured _Hogwarts: A History_ for reasons why Headmasters called students to their offices. Not that it had yielded much information to her disappointment. This was the first time that her beloved books had failed her.

"You are not in trouble Miss Granger," said Professor McGonagall warmly. "It was on my recommendation that the Headmaster had called you."

"Because that means so very much." Sneered Snape. To be honest, he did not really approve of what his colleagues were up to. Not that he really cared about Hermione Granger in the first place. She was bossy and annoying and did not know when to shut up. It was just that the entire charade that was going to occur was just too sickening for words. Even the Dark Lord would not stoop so low.

Dumbledore shot him a disapproving look. "What Professor McGonagall is trying to say is that we have a special task for you, Miss Granger. You see, over the past few years Lord Voldemort has been getting more and more powerful and if nothing is done to stop him, the wizarding world will be in severe danger. There are rumors that he is trying to take over the government – you must have read about it in the _Prophet_ already.

If that happens, he will make sure that all the people who oppose him are killed especially muggleborns like you since he sees them as a threat. Sadly, there are quite a few people who support his way of thinking. Hence, to prevent this from happening I have started a group called the Order of the Phoenix which consists of a select few people who are trying to stop him. I was hoping that you would agree to join us. In that way, I can try my best to keep you and your family out of danger."

Hermione's eyes were wide as saucers. "That is so brave of you Professor! But isn't it extremely dangerous?"

Dumbledore sighed. Inwardly, he was jubilant. He knew that the girl would not able to resist. After all, the only thing that Hermione Granger had desired since the time she had stepped into Hogwarts was to prove that she was better than the rest. "To an extent, yes. But then any fight against evil always is. I can understand your apprehensions, my dear. However, several upstanding people such as Auror Moody, Professors McGonagall and Snape and many others are in this group and we all want Lord Voldemort to cease being a threat."

"I had no idea you were part of this Professor Snape!" beamed Hermione. Snape's lip curled. For all her marks, the girl was really an imbecile. "So I guess the rumors were wrong then."

"What rumors, Miss Granger?" asked Professor McGonagall hastily. How much did the students exactly know? It would not do if Voldemort were to find out where Snape's loyalties actually lay.

Hermione hesitated. "Well, some people are of the belief that Professor Snape is a death eater. But I suppose that is only because he is the Head of Slytherin. I mean, if he is with Professor Dumbledore, he surely cannot be a death eater."

"Absolutely, Miss Granger." Said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling. "Now coming back to your answer. Will you agree to join us in our fight against evil?"

"Of course I will!" exclaimed Hermione joyfully. "It is a great honor after all."

"Excellent. Now all you have to do is sign on this parchment. Also, since you are not of age yet, Professor McGonagall will have to sign as your magical guardian."

"Sure. By the way Professor, when was Professor McGonagall appointed my guardian? I don't recall it ever happening."

Dumbledore froze momentarily. Damn the girl! Why did she have so many questions?

"Oh it was done the day after I gave you your Hogwarts letter." Said Minerva hurriedly, shooting Dumbledore a look. "All muggleborn students have a magical guardian for their protection."

"Oh alright." Said Hermione signing on the parchment.

"One more thing, Miss Granger." Said Dumbledore. "Kindly refrain from telling your classmates about this as many of their parents may not agree to their joining so very early. Hearing about you might make them jealous." It would not do for Ron Weasley to get wind of Hermione Granger's involvement. If he went to his mother to insist that he be allowed to join too, the entire plan would fall flat. Molly Weasley would do her best to inform Hermione that her joining the Order was not only illegal but also dangerous for her magic due to her being a minor.

"But we need all the help we can get!" said the girl indignantly. "Surely a year here or there does not matter. This is war we are talking about!"

"It is. But not many people can see the truth like we do." Said Dumbledore sadly. "Although," he hesitated for the moment. "I wonder if you could manage to make Mr. Potter agree to join our cause. His joining would be of great help to me and everyone else."

Hermione bristled with self-importance. "I will certainly try my best, Professor. However, over the past few weeks Harry has been downright rude and arrogant in his dealings with me. Moreover, he has many friends from Slytherin – no offence Professor Snape and his own sister has been sorted in that house. I don't think that he will be very open to the idea of doing anything that I tell him to."

"Now, now child you must not be too hasty to judge him" said McGonagall soothingly. "Mr. Potter has had to face many changes since the time he has joined Hogwarts. He is merely overwhelmed by the entire situation. Tell me child, how would you feel if your own sister was put in the House of the snakes and you were betrothed to another girl from the very same house? Not to mention the fact that you are just realizing that your mother had lied to you all your life. You would be terribly scared and confused, wouldn't you?"

Hermione's eyes were wide as saucers. "I had no idea!" she breathed. "I should not have judged him so quickly. You can count on me Professor. I will do everything in my power to help Harry, don't worry.

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled madly. "That is very generous of you, Miss Granger. There are not many people in this world with such compassion and understanding. Now off you go, Miss Granger and thank you very much. You have made the right choice."

"Oh I know." Said Hermione happily and left the room. McGonagall followed her.

Snape smirked as he watched them leave. "Are you ever going to tell that foolish child that she has effectively signed away half her magical powers to you by signing that contract?"

"Don't be ridiculous Severus." Said Dumbledore placidly. "After all when I face Voldemort I will need all the help I can get. Anyway the girl is unlikely to live for long. Being a mudblood she automatically becomes his target. Thank you for the spell that I had to put on the parchment by the way. I wonder where you found such an obscure piece of magic."

Snape smirked cruelly. "Being a death eater has many uses."

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"Are you nervous?" asked Tracey excitedly. She and Liz were helping Daphne get ready.

"No I am not."

"Yes she is!" giggled Liz. "This is her first date with my brother after all. It has to be _perfect_."

"Okay so maybe I am a _little_ nervous." Whispered Daphne. "I mean what do I say? This is the first time we are going to be alone with each other after we have been betrothed. And I really like him." She whispered.

Tracey squealed. "I knew it! After the Quidditch match that day it was obvious. Blaise owes me five galleons."

"You bet on it?" asked Daphne indignantly. "How could you?"

"Oh please, we all have." Said Liz nonchalantly. "Now instead of lecturing us, don't you need to leave for your date? You are running late."

"This is not over." Glared Daphne.

"Sure it is not. Now get going and make my brother fall in love with you if he hasn't already, that is." And saying so Liz pushed her out of the room.

Blaise was waiting for her down in the common room. "You look stunning Daphne. Harry will not know what hit him."

"Where do I have to meet him." Asked Daphne, ignoring his earlier remark. Inwardly, she was reassured – at least a little. Blaise was good friends with Harry. Maybe, just maybe Harry did like her too.

"He is waiting outside for you." Smiled Blaise.

Taking a deep breath, Daphne opened the door of the common room. There leaning against a pillar on the opposite side stood Harry. Her heart started beating wildly. He was dressed simply in a button down blue shirt and jeans. His hair was messy as usual but all it did was make Daphne long to run her hands through it. Was it possible for someone to become more handsome with every possible encounter? It sure seemed that way with Harry. He smiled as he approached her and she felt herself go weak in the knees.

"You look beautiful." He said softly as he walked up to her. Harry could not believe how utterly alluring Daphne looked. She was wearing a forest green sweater and jeans. He could not draw himself away from her eyes – her deep blue eyes that seemed to pierce his very soul. Her lips were a light pink. They looked utterly kissable. If he had his way he would kiss her right now itself. However, he restrained himself. There was no guarantee that that was what Daphne wanted. He did not want to scare her off.

"Where are you going to take me?" asked Daphne curiously. "I doubt that there are many places in Hogwarts which are appropriate for a first date."

Harry chuckled softly. "Wait and see Miss Greengrass. This castle has many surprises."

They went up to the seventh floor. Harry stopped suddenly. Daphne looked around curiously. There was nothing special here. Only a tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy attempting to teach some trolls ballet. Harry paced up and down the corridor to Daphne's growing alarm. When he had done so the third time, Daphne was sure that her fiancé had lost his senses or had been hit by a Confundus charm.

"Harry? What is the matter?"

Before her eyes a door materialized in front of her. Daphne stared incredulously at Harry who was grinning widely.

"H-how?" babbled Daphne amazed.

"Magic, my dear." Said Harry smoothly. "Now shall we go inside?" He held the door open for her. Daphne stepped inside, her eyes widening. In the corner, a fireplace crackled merrily. In the middle of the room was a table for two which was laden with food. Soft music played in the background. Daphne's eyes widened slightly. It was Mozart - her favorite. The walls were laden with yellow tulips – again her favorite. There were large French windows overlooking a rugged mountainside.

"I hope you like it." Said Harry. He was fidgeting with the hem of his shirt, nervously. Was he _nervous_? "I mean, I asked everyone possible as to what to do for our first date and Blaise and Tracey asked me to keep it simple and Liz asked me to just be myself and Sirius –"

Daphne hugged him tightly. "It is perfect."

Harry smiled relieved. "Really?" His hands lingered on her waist. He interlaced his fingers with hers and led her to the table. "I am glad."

"You should be. How on earth did you manage to arrange all of this?"

"This room can pretty much change itself into any room of your choice. You think of anything – anything at all and the room will change itself accordingly. As for the food, I had Triny bring it for us."

"Can't the room provide it?"

"Nope. It goes against Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration."

"Know it all."

"Hey! There is nothing wrong with knowing random facts, is there?" protested Harry.

"If you say so." sang Daphne mischievously.

And just like that all the awkwardness fell away. Daphne could not believe that she had been nervous of what to say to Harry. The conversation flowed freely and Daphne could not remember the last time she had enjoyed someone's company so much. Harry was unlike any other boy that she had known. But now that dinner was ending, it was time for her to say what she had come here for in the first place. Her feelings for a certain raven haired green eyed wizard.

"-and that is why you must never let Blaise near muggle fireworks." Concluded Harry, his eyes shining with mirth. "Daphne? Are you listening?" They were sitting on the couch that had conveniently appeared after dinner. For the last half an hour they had been regaling each other with anecdotes from their childhood.

"Wha-?" asked Daphne, suddenly coming out of her musings.

"Oh Merlin, I went on too long with it didn't I?" groaned Harry. "I knew I was rambling but I just could not stop myself. I told myself I would not let that happen but – "

"You are doing it again."

Harry grinned sheepishly, running his hands through his hair. "Shutting up now."

"You are cute when you are nervous." Observed his date, her lips twitching. "Though I don't see any reason for you to be."

"You are kidding right? I have _every_ reason to be nervous. I am on a date with a girl that I am half in love with already and –" he stopped suddenly, realizing what he had said.

"And what?" whispered Daphne tremulously.

"And I don't know if she feels the same way." he concluded, abashed.

"She does. She really does. She loves the fact that someone cares about her enough to apologize for having to marry her due to a betrothal contract that was not his fault in any way. She respects the fact that the guy in question gives her the choice to move to another country till the war is sorted out. She is amazed that he will take the trouble to woo her although they have to be married regardless and she is -astounded that her fiancé cannot see that she is finding it increasing difficult to deny that she is halfway in love with him too."

Harry had gone rigid when Daphne had started speaking. His mouth went dry hearing what she was saying. She cared for him too! She was falling in love with him. His face broke out into a grin. He had been terrified about their date and had never imagined that it would turn out so well.

"I really want to kiss you right now." He said huskily when her voice died out.

"Go ahead." His intended whispered. Was it his imagination or had she moved her face fractionally closer to his? He stared into her eyes as their faces came closer and closer to each other. She had a smattering of freckles on her cheeks. He was close enough to count every single one of them.

And then their lips met and it was magical. There was no other way to describe it. She fit perfectly in his arms as though she had been made to be there. One of her hands fisted in his hair while the other rested at the nape of his neck. He pulled her closer to him tracing patterns on her spine through the folds of her sweater. They kissed again and again, their kisses growing more and more insistent. His lips descended to her neck, blazing a hot trail that made Daphne gasp, despite herself. She too, kissed whatever part of him she could find; his cheeks, eyebrows, nose and finally settled back onto his lips.

Her hands could feel the muscles of his back, taut from Quidditch practice. Harry now had his hands in her hair which had somehow come lose from its bun. They both clung to each other as though they were two pieces of a whole who had finally found each other. Finally, after what seemed like ages, they stopped reluctantly. They were both breathing heavily. Daphne's cheeks were flushed, her eyes shining. Her lips were swollen. Harry had no doubt that he looked the same way.

Daphne was the first to recover. "So where does this leave us?" she asked, more casually than she actually felt.

"Well, although we have to get married anyway I would like to date you properly first. You deserve that. So I guess the real question is whether you will agree to date me as well."

"Is that a question?"

"Yes. Yes it is. Daphne, will you agree to be my girlfriend?"

"I would love to." Said Daphne. She was smiling so widely that her cheeks hurt. She was so happy that she felt that her heart would burst. As the couple gazed at each other adoringly, only one thought was going through both their heads.

Best first date ever.

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Remus stared out of the window pensively. It was his last day in Bulgaria and he was unhappy. Honestly speaking, there was no reason for him to be so. The talks with the werewolves had gone amazingly well. It was surprising to see how many of them yearned to return to Britain even after the atrocities they had faced. Apparently, there was no place like home. It was just these thoughts that brought him to the heart of his problem – the real reason why he was reluctant to leave.

Ivana Petrov.

The female werewolf had entered his life in a blaze of color and was now going to leave it just as suddenly. He still remembered the day he had met her. It was her who had led him to the werewolves of Britain. They had bickered the whole way about the best way to approach them, neither of them happy with the other's suggestions. Finally, it had ended with them both storming off. It had been the same for the next week. Every day had been a new fight. It did not matter what it was – the weather, books, philosophy or war; Ivana always had her own opinion regarding everything and Remus had secretly enjoyed their verbal battels. It had been a long time since he had met a woman who had intrigued him and challenged him as much as Ivana had.

Of course, it was not like he could act on his feelings. Ivana was the second in command of her pack in Bulgaria. There was no way that she would agree to accompany him to Britain. Also it was unlikely that she even felt the same way about him.

Maybe it was better this way, he thought bitterly. Since Britain was on the brink of war it would be safer for them both if he did not pursue her. Voldemort was not above taking people's loved ones as hostages. Still, it would be difficult for him. Throughout his school days Remus had consciously never dated anyone. He had not wanted to get attached to someone only for that girl to leave him when she found out about his 'furry little problem'. However, Ivana was different. For one, she was a werewolf herself. Secondly, she was probably the only person apart from Sirius who would not put up with his bullshit.

"Are you busy?" asked a voice behind him. Speak of the devil. It was Ivana herself. She was beautiful in an exotic sort of way. She was around thirty two with jet black hair and sharp hazel eyes. She was dressed in a loose fitting blouse and shorts although it was mid-October. Remus' eyes slid down to her shapely toned legs. This woman would be the death of him.

"No, not really." He croaked. "I have finished packing. Just reminiscing."

"You tend to do that a lot, you know." She stared at him for a moment. A small smile played on her lips.

"What is so funny?"

"I was just remembering how surprised I was to meet you. You were not what I expected you to be at all. When I heard that a British werewolf was coming with promises to give his exiled countrymen a chance to return to home, I supposed that it would be a twenty something idealist. Not a guy close to forty who looked as though he was nearing sixty."

"I don't look sixty!" said Remus indignantly. He was not _that_ old.

"Oh please." Ivana rolled her eyes. "You do. Anyway, look at how far you have come in a month and a half. You have convinced all of us in Romania and Bulgaria and are now moving to Serbia to further your cause. That is a great achievement. To be honest, I was skeptical of whether you would be able to even convince us. However, you have not only done that but also much more. I guess all that I want to say is – congratulations. I hope that you and your friends manage to get the amendments passed soon. From what I can gather, it will not be too long, will it?"

"No. Sirius expects the matter to be presented in the Wizengamot by December at the latest. So only a couple of months more if things go smoothly."

"Excellent." Ivana shifted uneasily.

"Is something the matter?" asked Remus. Ivana was acting very unlike herself. She was never one to make small talk or act so very nervous. Ivana hesitated. She seemed to be debating with herself.

"Oh fuck it." She muttered, before striding towards Remus and kissing the brown haired wizard passionately.

"Wha-" stammered Remus, completely out of his depth.

"I am in love with you, you idiot. And I know that you are going away and that we may never see each other again. But I could not let you go without telling you how I felt."

"Ivana – " breathed Remus, bewildered. "How?"

"You snuck up on me, Remus. I did not realize it myself until it was too late for me to do anything."

"You love me."

"Yes, I do." She whispered, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "But you and I both know that it is not possible for us to be together – not right now at least. You have to go to Serbia and I have to stay here with my pack."

Remus gazed at the woman in his arms, the one whom he would probably never see again after today. Rashly, he wondered if he could convince Sirius to postpone his trip to Serbia. However, in his heart of hearts, he knew that what he was thinking was not practical. He captured Ivana's lips in a searing kiss. "That may be so." he said gruffly; "But we still have tonight."

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He glided slowly through the Hall of Prophecies. It had been easy giving the death eaters a slip. After all the sniveling fools would never think to question his sudden orders to go on a muggle hunting spree. It was what many of them lived for in the first place. It had been even easier for him to break into the Ministry. The security there was laughable. The only resistance he had faced had been from the five Unspeakables. Their bodies lay outside the Department of Mysteries – the fools had actually thought that they could stop him.

He had had a change of heart yesterday. Originally he had planned to retrieve the prophecy on Halloween – the same day that the wretched Potter boy had stripped him of his body and powers. However, something stopped him. The prophecy was about him and Potter. He did not want any of his death eaters to know its actual contents. They might try to use it against him. There was no such thing as discretion among his followers. The first few lines that Severus had told him sixteen years ago had soon become common knowledge within a few weeks.

After Potter's return to Britain he had often heard mutterings among his troops about 'the one with the power to defeat the dark lord'. That was unsettling. It would not help if his people would lose faith in him and defect to Potter's side. Already, Potter had thrown him a curve ball by refusing to join that muggle loving fool Albus Dumbledore. No, it would be for the best if he learnt the prophecy by himself so that only he would know his true contents.

It was unlikely that Potter even knew that a prophecy existed. If he had, he would have gone to the Hall of Prophecies himself. His spies in the Ministry had reported nothing of that sort.

He walked through the long corridor. There were so many glass orbs on either side. So many prophecies. So many people who could not escape fate – just like him and Potter. Finally, he reached row ninety seven. There it was; the reason he had been ruined that fateful Halloween night.

The orb shone sinisterly. There seemed to be a white mist in it, growing denser and denser as he observed it. Below it, in cursive writing was engraved:

 ** _S.P.T to A.P.W.B.D_**

 ** _Dark Lord_**

 ** _and (?) Harry Potter_**

Hands shaking, he picked up the sphere in his hands. A wave of calm fell over him. He had finally done it! Now, after sixteen years, he would hear the entire prophecy. A voice started speaking; it echoed across the empty room. It was of Sybil Trelawney the seer who had unwittingly sealed his fate. Voldemort planned to kill her soon. It was ultimately due to that bitch that he had lost everything fifteen years ago.

" _The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies…."_

Then the voice suddenly changed from the vaguely detached voice of the seer to a sharp, crisp one that he knew all too well due to its great resemblance to that of the deceased James Potter _. "Honestly, Tom? Did you really think that I would let you get your hands on the actual thing? If you did, then you must be dumber than I thought. Don't you worry your pretty little head about where the prophecy has been hidden – it is not. I have destroyed it a while ago. I swear on my magic that I am not lying to you about it. Now why don't you go back to your mansion and_ Crucio _a few death eaters until you calm down? Here is hoping that we never meet again. Oh come on! Who am I kidding? It is not like you are going to leave me alone anytime in the near future, are you? Anyway, it was worth a try. Toodles!"_

Voldemort let out a scream of frustration. All the prophecies shattered with a crash as the dark lord unleashed his magic. Within seconds, the Hall of Prophecies was destroyed. But Voldemort was not done yet. The brat would pay. Voldemort would certainly make sure of that. Harry Potter had just sealed his fate by this little stunt of his. Prophecy or no prophecy – Voldemort was going to hunt him down and kill him.

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' **MASS DESTRUCTION IN THE DEPARTMENT OF MYSTERIES!'** screamed the headlines.

The Great Hall was buzzing with speculation as to who had caused the damage but all of this was of no interest to the figure in the shadows who groaned softly. Why had the Dark Lord changed his plans? Months of planning down the drain. How would Potter trust him now?

Still, what was done was done. There was no changing that. Now all that he could pray was that the attack on Hogsmeade _did_ take place on Halloween. That was the only way he might be able to redeem himself.

 **I am back! So sorry for keeping you all waiting for so long. I hope that I will be able to put up the next chapter faster but no promises.**

 **I hope you liked this chapter. It is sort of a prequel for what is to come.**

 **Any guesses as to who sent the note? I would love to hear your ideas!**

 **A big thank you to all of you lovely readers who have reviewed, followed and favorited this story. It is your continuous support that ena** **bles me to keep writing.**

 **See you soon with the next Chapter!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Hey guys! So I am back! I am so sorry for the long gap between this Chapter and the last, but I have been really busy. I will try my best to update the next Chapter sooner. Thank you all for being so very patient with me. Now, without further ado, I present the next chapter. Happy reading!**

 **Disclaimer: Same as chapter one**

 **Chapter 16**

 **Hogsmeade**

"Shall we go my lady?" grinned Harry roguishly, offering Daphne his arm at the Hogwarts Gates. They were in the line for Hogsmeade, waiting for Filch to stop terrorizing a group of third years in front of them.

"Lead the way, kind sir." Smiled Daphne in return, her eyes twinkling. They had officially begun dating three weeks ago and Daphne could not be happier. Harry was everything that she had hoped for in a boyfriend. Unlike most purebloods, he went out of his way to actually treat her with respect and was genuinely interested in listening to her opinions regarding the war, politics or just something as trivial as the Transfiguration essay that had to be submitted next week. It was a wonderful feeling. For the first time in her life, Daphne believed that she could actually trust and wholeheartedly care for someone other than her family. Harry made her feel like she actually mattered – that she was not just going to be another trophy wife whose only job was to be a brood mare and hostess of fancy balls.

Their friends were thrilled. Especially Liz. After all, she had won fifty galleons from everyone else for predicting that they would get together before Halloween. Her future sister-in-law was a shrewd businesswoman, that was for sure. The goblins of Gringotts could learn a thing or two from her.

"Potter, wait up!" came a shrill voice behind them.

Harry turned behind with barely concealed annoyance. The last three weeks had been perfect except for the fact that Hermione Granger had made it her mission to become his personal shadow. Honestly, he was getting tired of dodging her. The girl was nothing if not resourceful – she had managed to corner him twice this week alone despite him using a disillusionment charm. Harry had a sneaking suspicion that someone was aiding her in her mission of how-to-catch-Harry-Potter. If only he had his father's invisibility cloak with him! Damn Dumbledore! The meddling old coot had taken that too from his father a few weeks before he had died.

"What do you want Granger?" he asked exasperatedly.

"Nothing, just wanted to say hello." Said the bushy haired girl breathlessly.

"Well, hello, Granger. Now if you will excuse me, we have to go to Hogsmeade. It was nice meeting you." Said Harry, his voice clearly indicating that 'nice' was certainly not the word he would use to describe their meeting.

"Wait a minute!" called out Hermione as the couple turned to leave.

"What now, Granger?" asked Daphne icily. If looks could kill, Hermione would have turned into a puddle on the floor.

"I just wanted to ask Harry if he has completed his homework this weekend." Said the girl, her eyes wild. "After all, it would be highly irresponsible of him to go out for the whole day at the expense of neglecting his schoolwork."

'Heaven grant me patience!' thought Harry. This girl was relentless. "Yes Granger. I have completed all my homework. I have even completed studying for the Potions quiz on Tuesday. Now, since I am not going to stand here and let you quiz me on it, Daphne and I shall take your leave."

"But you can't go with her alone!" burst out Hermione in alarm. "She is dangerous!" On seeing Harry's glare she immediately backtracked. "I mean in such dangerous times it makes more sense if you go with a group of friends."

"Granger, for all your intelligence, you are really stupid." Said Daphne scathingly. "We are on a _date_. Which means that only the two of us will be together for an extended period of time. Now why don't you stop bothering us and go back to the library and look up the definition of the word 'dating' and let us go to Hogsmeade before the day gets over with us stuck here arguing with you."

Saying so, the couple left for Hogsmeade leaving an indignant Gryffindor gaping after them.

Harry's shoulders were shaking with suppressed laughter. "Now weren't you a little too hard on her?" he asked mirthfully. After all she is only looking out for me in these 'dark and dangerous' times. Especially since according to her you are a dangerous witch who is probably planning to spirit me off to Voldemort."

Daphne snorted in a very unladylike way. "That girl is getting on my nerves. Tell me, what right does she have to regulate how you spend your free time?"

"None at all. However, she is not working alone if you ask me. Someone must have put her up to it. Her attempts are way too desperate for just trying to be my friend."

"Though she wasn't very far off the mark." Commented Daphne, lowering her voice as they passed a group of Slytherins near the gates of Hogsmeade. "People have been posted here today, right? In event of the attack actually taking place?"

"Don't worry. Kingsley has sent as many people as possible here today. I think that there are approximately fifty aurors on duty today. He couldn't have sent any more without raising Dumbledore's suspicions. Tonks and Kingsley are stationed near the Three Broomsticks while Sirius and my mum are themselves going to Zonko's. Kingsley has also deployed twenty of the ministry's hit wizards to patrol the streets and has stationed your dad near the Hog's Head along with Frances Macmillan. All in all, I would say that if the attack does occur, we stand a pretty good chance of depleting Voldemort's forces."

"That is excellent. And thankfully Scrimgeour agreed to keep Dumbledore in the dark regarding all these preparations."

Harry smirked. "Not exactly. The Minister might have let just enough information slip in order to make Dumbledore send half of the Order to Hogsmeade today as well. After all, we need all the help we can get. So don't be surprised if you see Moody somewhere on the street glaring at you."

"You know what, I don't even want to know." Said Daphne bemusedly, shaking her head. "Now let us stop talking about the war and enjoy our date. I hope you know that I expect to be taken to Madam Puddifoot's."

Harry's face was a picture. Daphne burst out laughing. "Honestly Potter, if I did not know better I would say that you would prefer facing Voldemort rather than take me to Puddifoot's! I was just joking. I much prefer the Three Broomsticks to that pink monstrosity anyway."

"You are not far off the mark. I would prefer facing Voldemort any day." Muttered Harry darkly as the two of them went off to The Three Broomsticks together, hand in hand.

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Ginny could not believe it. Her hands were shaking. It could not be true! It couldn't! However the letter that lay on her bed told her otherwise.

She had received the letter as she was finishing her breakfast. Her friends had already left to get ready. It was from Gringotts. The moment she got it, she knew that something was wrong. There was absolutely no reason for Gringotts to communicate with an underage witch especially since both her parents were alive. Even the owl that delivered it seemed to know that it was bad news as it hooted mournfully at her before taking off.

Thank Merlin that she had had the foresight to open it in the privacy of her dorm instead of at the breakfast table. A tear trailed down her cheek. What had she done to deserve this? She chocked back a sob. She reread the letter for the fifth time. It read:

 _Miss Ginevra,_

 _This is to inform you that you have been disowned from the families Weasley and Prewett on the 30thof October, 1996. From this time forth you are no longer recognized to be a part of the families Weasley and Prewett and will therefore be unable to access the vaults of the same. You are requested to stop using the surnames mentioned above with your first name while signing any magical document. Failure to do so will result in penalty of a thousand galleons and a loss of a substantial portion of your magic._

 _Kindly get in touch with us as soon as possible if you would like to choose a new surname for yourself – either from one of your other family branches or a new one whose line will start with you. There is also a matter of whether you would like to open a vault with us under the name of your choice. Do get in touch with us before the 31stof December to finalize the details._

 _With best regards,_

 _Griphook (Vice President of Gringotts)_

Silent tears streamed down Ginny's cheeks. To be honest, the fact that she was disowned had not surprised her much. She had expected something of this sort to happen ever since her family had turned against her in her first year which was also bad enough as official disownments involving the goblins of Gringotts was itself very rare. What had really hurt her was the penalty that had been stipulated if she would use her family name.

It depended upon the family as to what conditions they wanted to attach as punishment once a person was disowned. Usually, no penalty was included – for old pureblooded families the very act of disownment was considered punishment enough. Even Sirius Black's family for all their hatred towards him had not formally disowned him. More often than not, there was often a clause that once the current Head of the House was dead, the person disowned could be taken back into the family fold provided the next Head of the House had no objections. However, in the letter that she had received, there had been no such condition which signified that there was no chance of her ever becoming a Weasley again.

Were her parents so very prejudiced that the simple act of getting sorted into a House that they did not approve of was enough to make them disown her? It seemed incredulous. However, the facts were simple enough. Her father was not strong enough to stand up to her mother and her mother had been wary of her ever since she had been sorted into Slytherin. Ultimately in her family, it was her mother's opinion that counted and her mother was prejudiced against her. She considered her daughter to be dark. And as the Weasleys were firmly on the side of the light, it was a matter of embarrassment to Molly Weasley to have a daughter who was in Slytherin. The light families were as prejudiced as the dark ones were and were probably even more obsessed with upholding the image of a perfect family.

"Ginny, are you ready to go?" yelled Liz, entering her dormitory. Ginny stiffened. The last thing she wanted was to see any of her friends in this state.

"I-I am not feeling too well." Said Ginny clearing her throat. "You all carry on without me."

"What is wrong?" asked Liz, drawing the curtains surrounding Ginny's bed before Ginny could do anything. Her eyes widened on seeing Ginny's red eyes.

"What happened, Ginny?" asked Liz worriedly.

"Nothing." Muttered Ginny, refusing to meet Liz's eyes. The embarrassment she felt was acute.

"It is certainly not nothing or you would not be crying. Tell me."

Ginny sighed. Liz had certainly inherited the Potter stubbornness. Once she got an idea in her head, she was like a dog with a bone. There was no way out but for Ginny to answer.

"I have been disowned, alright? Not unofficially either. My parents have gone to Gringotts and have officially done so." The words echoed around the empty dorm. Somehow saying them out loud made the whole situation all the more real. Liz gasped.

"Oh Ginny! I am so sorry." Said Liz, hugging her tightly.

"Don't be. It was not your fault." Said Ginny wryly. "You, Tracey Astoria and Daphne have been such good friends. As a matter of fact, you four are probably the only reason I am still sane.

"Liz, Ginny, what is taking you both so long?" yelled Astoria from below.

"I will just tell them that we are not going, alright?" said Liz. "A-nd don't even think about sending me off with them. I am not leaving you alone." She continued, seeing that Ginny was about to protest.

"But I will be fine. Go to Hogsmeade. Really."

"Not a chance. What sort of a friend would I be if I left you alone like this? The Quidditch pitch is empty today and you and I are going to go flying once you get dressed."

"You are not going to let this go, are you." Said Ginny, shaking her head. Somehow, talking to Liz made her feel much better already.

"No I am not. Alright, Tori I am COMING!" yelled Liz going down the stairs to the common room.

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"Do you suppose that the message was a hoax?" muttered Sirius to Lily. They were in Zonko's looking at some dungbombs, disguised of course. Today Sirius had changed his features to appear like a blonde haired, brown eyed man while Lily had disguised herself as a brown hair, blue eyed woman.

"It is possible. After all, Tom ended up showing up about three weeks early at the Ministry. So there is no way of knowing whether he will keep this … appointment as well. But it is not like we can take any chances."

"Of course." Sighed Sirius. "But I am really getting bored of looking through this merchandise. I swear, it is as though Zonko's has not updated itself since the time we were in school."

"Can I help you both with anything?" asked an energetic young man who seemed to have appeared out of thin air.

"What-oh no thank you." Said Sirius startled. "We were just looking around. It is my nephew's birthday soon and I wanted to buy for him a Zonko's gift hamper. My wife and I were just deciding what all to include in it."

"Ah! A fun uncle and aunt! We don't get many of those around here." Sighed the man, running his hand through his flaming red hair. "I should know. The one time my twin and I set off dungbombs under our Aunt Muriel's chair at dinner when we were young and innocent, at the tender age of thirteen, she yelled at us for at least three hours. My poor ears are still ringing from it." The youth massaged his ears sympathetically. "Also, our mum confiscated our brooms for the entire summer."

"That seems harsh." Said Sirius, his lips twitching. He instantly liked the lad. He had a mischievous sparkle in his eyes that told Sirius that they would get along just fine. He must have been a prankster when he was in school, mused Sirius. They lad just had that look about him.

"Isn't it!" exclaimed the lad dramatically, clasping Sirius' hands with his own. "I knew you would understand. You seem like someone with a sense of humor. Now if I had an uncle like you I would probably gift you a nose-biting teacup for your birthday as I could be sure that you would appreciate it. As a matter of fact, why don't you buy one for that nephew of yours? After all, every gift hamper from Zonko's is incomplete without one. I am sure that he can use it on someone when they are least expecting it – his mother for example."

"I doubt my sister-in-law would approve." Smirked Lily. She could totally imagine Petunia with a nose-biting teacup attacking her. It made a hilarious picture. Come to think of it, she might just send one to her as a Christmas gift.

"Oi Forge! Help me!" yelled someone from the counter. A man stood there identical to the one in front of them.

"You twin, I suppose?" asked Lily.

"Got that right, ma'am. Now I better go and help him before he gets overrun by over enthusiastic third years. Honestly, the first Hogsmeade weekend is always the worst. It is very exciting for all the third years, you see. First Hogsmeade trip and all. They are worse than a coven of vampires in front of a dozen bloodpops. Rabid, the lot of them."

"FRED! GET YOUR ARSE HERE AT ONCE!" yelled the red head at the counter.

"ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT! DON'T GET YOUR PANTIES IN A TWIST!" yelled Fred. "I am coming. Now," he continued, turning to Sirius and Lily. "Duty calls, my fellow comrades. I will leave you to looking around the shop. Yell for either Fred or George Weasley if you need anything; though just between us, I think that Fred is the handsomer twin." And with that he was off, battling through a crowd of excited third years.

"Weasley, huh." Said Sirius speculatively after Fred had left. "How many children does the woman have?"

"Six at the very least, for sure. There is the eldest son who is engaged to the veela. He works at Gringotts I think. Then there is the guy who was there with Scrimgeour at the Wizengamot meeting. Then the twins and Ron and Ginny. Still, it is quite a lot. Most magical families hardly have more than three children."

"The twins were the only ones who did not abandon Ginny over getting sorted into Slytherin!" exclaimed Sirius, remembering. "Harry had mentioned it in passing in one of his letters. Apparently, that made Molly Weasley very upset."

Lily snorted derisively. "I am not surprised. She probably considered that as the equivalent of going against Dumbledore."

"The twins seem nice." Commented Sirius, watching George Weasley slipping an extra dungbomb into a fourth year's package with a wink.

"Thinking of recruiting them to our side?"

"It is not a bad idea. After all they are not in the Order for sure. Tonks told me that. Apparently Molly Weasley did not want them to join until they 'realized their mistake of supporting a girl who is obviously dark and dangerous' as she did not want the Order to be corrupted by people who were not 'completely devoted to the cause'."

"Because it is not like the girl is her daughter or anything." Said Lily disgustedly. She just could not understand how someone could turn their back on their own child. "The more I think about – "

A ear-splitting explosion cut her off. Sirius and Lily whipped around just in time to see the houses in front of Zonko's burst into a ball of flame. Voldemort had arrived. Exchanging a glance, they both ran out of Zonko's and out into the fray.

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Harry and Daphne were in the Three Broomsticks when the explosion occurred. Daphne had just begun a story of her as a child where she had thought it was a good idea to turn Cygnus' hair pink. Harry could not control his laughter. It was hilarious imagining Cygnus, the Lord of a Noble and Ancient house with pink hair for a week.

"And the best part was that mum just stood there laughing. Daddy was begging her to change his hair back to normal but –"

An almighty explosion cut her off. Dark clouds of black smoke struck the ground like meteorites and morphed into death eaters.

"Fuck." Muttered Harry agitatedly. By now, everyone in the Three Broomsticks had realized what was going on. There was a mad stampede for the door.

"Don't try to go out idiots!" yelled Ernie, locking the door with a sticking charm. "The death eaters are on the streets! Stay here and calm down!'

"Calm down?" yelled Ron Weasley, deathly pale. "How the fuck do you expect us to calm down? Open the damn door!"

"Yeah! Open the door!" more and more students started yelling.

"ENOUGH!" yelled Harry. "There are death eaters out there who are far better duelers than you. If you all go out you will only get killed. So stay here and try to not attract attention to yourselves."

"And what if the death eaters decide to burn the place to the ground?" asked Padma Patil hysterically. "After all, they did that to the houses facing Zonko's."

" _Tueri_ _Aedificationem!_ " chanted Daphne.

"What did you just do, bitch?" demanded Ron angrily. "What spell did you cast?"

"If you must know Weasley, I cast a spell to strengthen the wards of this building." Said Daphne coldly. "Now no death eater can get in or even damage the building from outside."

"I don't believe you!" shouted Seamus Finnigan. "For all we know, you could have just put up a sign to call your death eater cronies to attack us!"

"Shut up lad." Said Madam Rosmerta. "The girl has done us a favor. The spell will indeed keep us all safe here as long as we are not stupid enough to venture out. I should have thought of it myself."

"We cannot wait here forever!" said a fourth year Ravenclaw worriedly. "Merlin knows how long the attack will go on!"

"Alright," said Rosmerta, taking charge of the situation. "All of you follow me. There is a cellar below the inn where the younger children can hide. All third to fifth years, follow me first."

"Wait! What about us? Are you just leaving us here?" asked Ron Weasley, turning pale.

"Honestly, Weasley. Just a minute ago you wanted to run out into the thick of battle and now you want to hide?" asked Susan. "The building is safe. Nothing can damage it. Where has all your Gryffindor courage gone? Madam Rosmerta will come for us once the younger students are safe first."

Ron and Seamus glared at Susan silently, but did not say anything.

A scream made the occupants of the room turn towards to window. Daphne's heart nearly stopped. There in front of the Three Broomsticks lay Astoria and Tracy, under the Cruciatus by Bellatrix Lestrange.

Blood roared in Daphne's ears. Without even consciously thinking of what she was doing she ran to the door. "Open the door Ernie! Let me out!"

"Daphne, I don't think –" started Ernie but a glare from Harry silenced him. "Open the door mate. That is her sister and best friend out there. I will go with her."

Silently, Ernie started unlocking the door. Astoria's screams got louder and louder with every passing second.

"Listen to me," said Harry urgently, grabbing Daphne's arm. "Bring Tracy and Astoria back to the Three Broomsticks and stay here. Let me deal with Bellatrix. Do you understand?"

Daphne nodded silently. Silently disillusioning both of them, Harry crept forward. Bellatrix was cackling madly with glee. "Come on! Scream louder my dears! It hurts, doesn't it?"

" _Sectumsempra!_ " hissed Harry, his eyes dark. The curse hit Bellatrix in her stomach. She wailed in agony. Daphne rushed forward to Tracy and Astoria. They were unconscious.

" _Ennervate!_ " she whispered frantically. Their eyes fluttered open.

"Daph –" whispered Tracy weakly, her eyes darting around, looking for the source of her friend's voice.

"Ssh. Now I am going to levitate you both to the Three Broomsticks, alright? Don't worry, everything will be fine."

By now Malfoy and Nott had arrived at the scene. With a wave of his wand, Malfoy cancelled the disillusionment charm on Harry.

"Potter." He snarled. "Why am I not surprised."

" _Avada Kedavra_!" yelled Nott gleefully, forcing Harry to jump out of the way. Meanwhile, Malfoy had gone to Bellatrix to tend to her wounds.

Harry quickly retaliated by sending a bone breaking curse at him. He then shot off a blood boiling curse at Malfoy.

"Stop them!" shrieked Bellatrix. "There is someone else with him!"

Shit. The death eaters had noticed the bodies of Tracy and Astoria floating in the air. By now, even more death eaters had arrived. Harry was now fighting Nott, Malfoy, and three other masked death eaters all at the same time. All of Harry's senses were in overdrive. He could see the aurors engaged in a battle with the death eaters. He could see Sirius engaged in combat with Yaxley while his mother was dueling Dolohov. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Bellatrix slowly rising and casting a curse at Tracy.

" _Protego Transferans_!" he yelled. A blue shield shimmered into existence around the unconscious forms of Astoria and Tracy. By now they were close to the Three Broomsticks. They could make it.

Harry turned back just in time to dodge a sickly beam of green that missed him by a whisker. Seeing that the girls were safe inside the Three Broomsticks, he sprang into action. Red hot flames leapt from his wand and bound the three masked death eaters in the air.

" _Riptide! To me!"_ hissed Harry. The snake appeared in front of him. " _Divide yourself into ten cobras and attack them._ " He hissed angrily. Ten king cobras appeared – two attacking each death eater. Nott tried to desperately cast the entrails-expelling curse at Harry who dodged him, not realizing his fatal mistake – Bellatrix was once again on her feet.

 _"Crucio!"_ she cackled, maniacally. Pain shot through Harry worse than anything he had ever experienced before. It felt as though he was being stabbed by a thousand hot knives and being dipped into boiling acid all at once.

Suddenly, the spell was cut off. Harry stood up shakily to see Daphne standing over Bellatrix who was convulsing in pain. She had been hit by the asphyxiation curse. Bellatrix clawed madly at her throat, gasping. Her eyes rolled back in her head and she lay on the ground, still.

Surrounding Harry were Ernie, Susan and Justin. They were engaged in a fierce duel with Malfoy and Nott. Quickly, Daphne transfigured the gravel on the pathway into a flock of ravens that clawed at Malfoy, scratching at his eyes. He howled in pain.

Suddenly a plume of jet black smoke appeared in front of Harry. Slowly, it morphed into Voldemort. A stillness descended over the crowd. Looking around, Harry realized that nearly everyone had gathered around the two of them. Without warning, a silver bubble enclosed the two of them. Harry recognized it instantly. It was a remnant of a shield used in wizarding duels in ancient times. It prevented any person from outside from interfering until one of the opponents surrendered, was killed or left.

"Harry Potter. We meet at last." Snarled Voldemort, his red eyes flashing.

"I would say that it is a pleasure but I would be lying." Smirked Harry.

"You dare laugh when death is staring you in the face, boy?"

"The last time I checked, your name was Tom, not death. I did not know that you had changed it."

"You dare call me by that name, boy? _Avada Kedavra_!" he hissed angrily. Harry dodged and retaliated with a blood-boiling curse. Voldemort batted it away without missing a step and fired off a spell which was a sickly yellow color. Harry's eyes narrowed. That curse was the equivalent of a Dementor's kiss. Quickly, he conjured a wall of fire.

"You cannot control Fiendfyre, boy." laughed Voldemort, the bloodlust reflected in his eyes.

The fire took the form of a phoenix, it's giant wings flapping towards Voldemort. The dark lord narrowed his eyes and conjured a block of solid ice. The phoenix met it head on and was vaporized into steam.

" _Do you really think that you can win, Tom?_ " hissed Harry mockingly. _"Give up. You know it is fruitless."_

 _"You speak it?"_ asked Voldemort incredulously.

 _"Yes. I do speak it. I am Slytherin's heir after all."_

 _"Lies! I am his heir!"_ snarled Voldemort, his features contorting with rage.

Harry smirked. " _If that is so, then you should be able to control this. RIPTIDE!"_

His faithful companion immediately appeared at his side. _"Kill him_." Hissed Harry venomously.

 _"Help your master, Nagini_." Hissed Voldemort, his eyes narrowing. Both the snakes collided mid air. Nagini tried to bite Riptide's head off but Riptide was too quick.

" _Foolish child!"_ hissed Riptide angrily. _"I am the original snake of Slytherin, and have been raised by Salazar Slytherin himself. You cannot defeat me."_

"Impressive Harry, but not enough." Snarled Voldemort. "Now I have come here with one main purpose. Tell me the contents of the prophecy."

"I don't think so Tom." Said Harry.

Without warning, Voldemort threw a deep violet curse at Harry. Harry recognized it. It was one of the dark lord's newer inventions. Blaise had told him about it. It would drain Harry's magical core before killing him. It also could not be blocked by any shield and could not be dodged. It would follow Harry until it hit him.

"Oh fuck it." Muttered Harry, under his breath. It was not like it was going to remain a secret for long anyway. A majestic black phoenix with emerald eyes appeared where Harry stood just a second ago. It met the curse head on and swallowed it.

"What kind of trickery is this?" roared Voldemort, a hint of fear in his eyes. The phoenix started glowing brightly. Suddenly, there was an earth-shattering scream. The phoenix burst into flames that rapidly turned into ash and charcoal that engulfed Voldemort. At the same time, Nagini collapsed onto the ground. A wave of pure magical energy spread, destroying the silver bubble and making Voldemort fall to his knees. Gasping for breath, turning on the spot, Voldemort disapparated.

The glowing subsided. In the middle of the road lay Harry Potter – unconscious with Nagini lying dead at his feet.

 **Please don't kill me**

 **One of my reviewers drew my attention to the fact that I had mentioned Amelia Bones as one of the people who was patrolling Hosgmeade which was not possible as she is dead. Genuinely sorry for the mistake guys!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Okay, so I know that it has been a while since I have updated and I am terribly sorry for that but real life just got into the way. The thing is that I don't think I will be able to update this story until late Feb to early March as there is just too much to do at the moment in college. I do hope you guys understand.**

 **I cannot tell you how much your reviews mean to me and I am incredibly grateful to everyone who has taken the time to read this story in the past nine months and sent me PMs or reviews requesting for an update. I know that this chapter is a little on the shorter side but hopefully, I will be able to make it up with the next one.**

 **Once again, thank you so much for your encouragement and motivation. And now, on with the story!**

 **Disclaimer: Same as Chapter One**

 **Chapter 17**

 **Aftermath**

"-been three days."

"-magical core was severely depleted."

"-very dangerous thing to do."

The cacophony of voices washed over Harry like a flood from all directions. What was going on? He could hear someone crying – was that Liz? What had happened? Had someone died?

He tried to open his eyes but his eyelids refused to comply. Honestly, for all his training, he should have been taught how to open his eyelids when each felt as heavy as a Hippogriff. But he had to try. He could hear Liz quietly sobbing. Liz _never_ cried. Something was terribly wrong, he could feel it. Slowly, he managed to open his eyes by a millimeter. Blurry shapes surrounded him from all sides.

"Harry?" A curtain of red hair obscured his vision. The corners of his lips twitched into a smile. Stubbornly, he tried to get his vocal cords to function.

"Mum?" he croaked. He immediately regretted it. A wave of exhaustion swept over him. He felt as though he had been trampled upon by a herd of centaurs. His throat was burning.

There was an immediate flurry of activity.

"Get Boris-"

"The pain reliving potion-"

"Harry-"

The noise was too much. The voices blended together seamlessly. It was too overwhelming. Harry tried to concentrate and tried his best to remain conscious but everything went black.

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Lily sat in the kitchen, staring blankly at the empty cup in front of her. She did not know what to do. How had things gone downhill so fast? The attack on Hogsmeade had been simple enough. Hell, they had even been pre-warned about it. However, they had been ambushed. Voldemort had sent around two hundred of his lower ranked death eaters first followed by around twenty of Greyback's pack. He had left his inner circle for the very end when their forces would already be weakened. Lily and Sirius had been stuck dueling the Lestrange brothers. Bellatrix had taken off to torture the younger children.

Everything had seemed to be going pretty well until Voldemort had arrived. He had gone after her baby at once, demanding to know the contents of the prophecy and had engaged in a duel with him. Lily could do nothing but watch, horrified, as a silvery shield had engulfed the two of them, making it impossible for anyone to enter. The spells exchanged between the two had been rapid and it seemed that Harry might win especially when Riptide entered the scene.

However, Voldemort was not done. He had then cast a spell to drain her son's magical core and transfer its power to him. Blaise had warned them about this a year ago. Draco Malfoy had been boasting about it in the Slytherin common room as to how his master was going to be unbeatable this time around. The spell had been developed by Voldemort himself with the help of some Egyptian runemasters who had entered his service. Thank Merlin Harry had the sense to change into his animagus form.

Remus had hypothesized that being a phoenix – and a black one at that there was a good chance that Voldemort's curse would do nothing more than cause Harry to have his burning day once the curse hit him. Remus had read several books upon the powers of black phoenixes once it was discovered to be Harry's animagus form when he was fourteen. The Salem library was one of the three places in the world where literature on black phoenixes could be found.

It had been mentioned that black phoenixes represented every aspect of fire but the flame. This meant that unlike a normal phoenix which experienced a small loss in its magical reserve with every burning day (which could be hastened by poison or a dark spell) and recovered it again at its peak, a black phoenix experienced an increase in its magic reserves with every burning day which was not reduced in a cyclic fashion. This made a black phoenix more powerful than an ordinary phoenix with a longer lifespan as well. As Voldemort's curse caused the drainage of a person's magical core, that combined with the affinity of a black phoenix for absorbing dark spells to increase its own power, should have, theoretically speaking neutralize the effect of the curse but at the end of it all, it was just conjecture after all. Obviously, no one had cast the spell on Harry to see how it would affect him.

Moreover, Remus had no clue as to how the curse would affect Harry as he was a phoenix _animagus_ and not an actual black phoenix. So now, three days after Harry had been hit by the curse, they were all still waiting to see how Harry would be affected. Lily and Sirius had brought Harry and Liz to Slytherin Manor for him to recover. Boris had been called from America to attend to him.

Dumbledore had been livid and had demanded that there was no way Harry could be moved out of Hogwarts but Lily had been resolute. She did not trust Poppy Pomfrey to not slip Harry a couple of compulsion potions while his Occlumency shields were down to ensure his loyalty to Dumbledore. Hell, the Headmaster might even try to bind his magic! She would not put anything past him. Moreover, there was a clause in the rules of Hogwarts that no student could be forced to stay in Hogwarts if his parents wished to draw him out and his Head of House agreed. Professor Sprout was a sweetheart. She had readily agreed. Daphne had wanted to accompany them as well, but had not been allowed to. Snape had been a bastard about it as usual. Apparently being betrothed by a two hundred and fifty year old magically binding contract was not enough for her to be considered family. Right.

Today morning, Harry had finally regained consciousness albeit, for a few minutes in the morning before becoming unconscious once again. Now it was just a matter of waiting and watching to see what would happen. Boris had given him potions to stabilize his magical core which had become extremely volatile due to the spell. No one knew what would happen now. Boris had said that Harry's body had gone into a magical coma in a desperate attempt to stabilize him. Harry would wake once his core was stable enough. After all, the simple act of remaining awake was itself a drain on his magic core and could cause irreversible damage to him.

The sound of a peregrine falcon tapping on the window broke Lily out of her reverie. It was truly a majestic bird. It had strong bluish grey wings and a wickedly curved beak. In its talons was a letter.

"Sirius?" called Lily apprehensively. "Could you please come here?"

A couple of seconds later Sirius rushed down the stairs. "What is the matter Lils?"

"How did this bird manage to get past the wards?" demanded Lily. "The wards are specifically set so as not to allow any unknown birds inside."

"I have absolutely no idea." Said Sirius shaking his head bewildered. "The manor has adequate protections. In addition to that, Remus and I set up the remaining wards ourselves."

"Should I accept the letter then?"

"Have you checked it for tracking charms and portkeys?"

"Obviously. There is nothing of that sort on it. All it did was make the falcon irritated."

"Might as well accept the letter then."

The falcon extended its foot huffily ahead as if to say 'get on with it!'

"You are a conceited little bugger, aren't you?" sighed Sirius, when the falcon nipped at his fingers when he tried to pet it. "I don't suppose you would like some owl treats, would you?"

The bird glared at him stonily as though to say 'don't be an idiot.'

"Sirius, you have to read this." Said Lily shakily, breaking his staring contest with the bird. She handed the letter to him. Her face was pale.

Taking the letter from her, Sirius looked at it. On the top of the parchment was an eagle with its wings outstretched – the symbol of Ravenclaw. The letter went-

 _Lady Slytherin,_

 _It is imperative that I meet you as soon as possible regarding the situation of your son. If my sources are correct, your son was hit by a spell made to drain his magic when he turned into a black phoenix. This will have made his magical core highly unstable. If not stabilized properly, your son's magic will continue expanding and within a few months self-destruct himself leaving him a squib._

 _Here is where I come in. you may not know this, but all the founders had elemental magic flowing through their veins. Being the heir of Ravenclaw myself, I have power over the air. It is my belief that your son and even your daughter for that matter may have an affinity for fire or water – they being the powers of Godric Gryffindor and Salazar Slytherin respectively._

 _Unlocking of his elemental powers will allow your son to attain his magical maturity early on and will also soothe the volatility of his magical core. The use of his elemental powers will force him to use his magic and hence enable him to exhaust it before it can expand._

 _If you are willing, I would like to come to your home and teach your son and daughter how to unlock their powers. I swear upon my magic that will not harm anyone who might be in your house with you and that I am firmly against Tom Riddle and Albus Dumbledore. I think that you will be surprised to know my real identity. I cannot risk revealing it to you in this letter lest this should fall in the wrong hands. My falcon Aries is resilient but even he might not be able to evade capture._

 _If you agree to invite me, utter the word '_ Aquila _'_ _. I will appear on your doorstep. This was the way the founders communicated with each other in their time of need._

 _Sincerely,_

 _John Smith (alias)_

 _Lord Ravenclaw_

 _P.S. You must be wondering how Aries got through your wards. He managed to do so as all direct descendants of the founders can reach each other in times of great need if their intentions towards the other are pure._

"The wandmaker?" asked Sirius incredulously.

"Apparently. And now I do not know what we should do. How did he get so much information in the first place? And where has he been for all these years? If I remember correctly, he pretty much disappeared off the face of the earth once Harry got his wand."

"That may be true, but he has sworn on his magic not to harm any of us. Technically that means that even if we disarm him upon his entry and tie him up, he cannot do anything to harm us."

"But can magical oaths be sworn upon parchment? If I am not mistaken, they have to be sworn in person."

"This is not ordinary paper, Lily." Said Boris, entering the room. "Sorry I could not help but overhear the last part." He shrugged. "That parchment in your hand is infused with Veritaserum – it has a distinctive silvery tinge to it. That means that whatever had been written on that parchment is nothing but the truth. May I see the letter?"

"Certainly." Said Sirius, handing it to him. "I suppose it is due to the Veritaserum that an 'alias' had been written after John Smith's name?"

"Well, he did say that his real identity would shock us." Said Boris thoughtfully, after reading the letter. "What do you think? Should we invite him?"

"I think I will." Said Lily finally. "If he can help Harry then I am willing to risk it. We will keep Riptide with us. There are three of us and only one of him. If anything untoward happens I am sure we can take him especially since he cannot do us any harm."

"Very well. When should we call him?" asked Boris. "Harry should wake up by tomorrow. Do you want to talk to John Smith then or before that?"

"Before that." Said Lily resolutely. "As a matter of fact, I think I will call him now. The wards around Harry's room will keep him and Liz safe in case something happens. _Aquila_."

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Meanwhile, in the wilds of Derbyshire, a man sat gazing into the fire. He was the elusive Lord Ravenclaw. Ravenclaw Manor was an architectural marvel. Lady Rowena had a deep interest in architecture just as Godric Gryffindor was passionate about fencing and Salazar Slytherin was fascinated with soul magic. It was she who had designed Hogwarts into the castle it was today. Hence, Ravenclaw Manor was designed to take the appearance of a miniature Hogwarts - the only place which Rowena Ravenclaw had ever considered home.

Most people would not spare the current Lord Ravenclaw a second glance. Thin as a reed, with salt and pepper hair, he could have easily passed off as a banker in London or New York – especially with the pinstripe suit he was wearing.

Lord Ravenclaw had been very busy indeed since the attack on Hogsmeade had occurred. Rumors had swirled thick and fast about Harry Potter ever since he had set foot in England a few months ago – each more outlandish than the last. Some said the boy was a warlock in disguise, others were of the opinion that Dumbledore had hidden him away from his family and he had managed to escape the Headmaster's clutches. Some others believed that the boy was well on his way to becoming a dark wizard as he was the heir of Slytherin and was betrothed to the Greengrass heiress.

Lord Ravenclaw had heard all the rumors politely, all the while laughing internally. If only they knew. Harry James Potter was an extraordinary individual, that was for sure. He knew it better than anyone after having sold the boy his wand all those years ago. For the past three days he had tried his best to reach all his contacts - both wizard and muggle in order to find every shred of information he could find about the boy and what he had been up to in the last nine years.

He chuckled suddenly. Using any metal in a wand had more than one implications. It was usually because the wood alone would not be strong enough to support the person's magic. Among metal too, the more precious the metal, the better stabilizer it was. Elementals usually favored the gold, silver or platinum. He himself had a shot of silver flowing through the wand that Gregorovich had made for him especially all those years ago.

"You have messed it up this time, Albus." He murmured to himself, his eyes darkening to an eerie silver – like storm clouds. "I will not let you manipulate the boy as you exploited me all those years ago. I will get my revenge."

A tug in his navel, similar to that of a portkey told him that Lily Potter had indeed activated the key word. A smile played across his lips. He would train Harry and Elizabeth to the best of his ability. Dumbledore would not know what hit him. Their elemental powers would frustrate and confuse the manipulative bastard for sure. After all, the last elemental that had ever existed had been 'killed' by Albus Dumbledore more than forty years ago.

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"I hope you have good news my dear," hissed Voldemort sibilantly, sitting on his throne. A cloaked figure, dressed all in black knelt at his feet.

"My lord," the figure purred, "I promise you that I will be able to deliver Harry Potter to you by Easter." Dark eyes gazed adoringly at the reptilian figure on the throne.

" _Crucio_!" hissed Voldemort, his face contorting with rage. "I don't have time to waste as you very well know. I want the boy before he manages to get back to Hogwarts where Dumbledore can protect him."

"Please, my lord," gasped the cloaked figure struggling to sit up. "Potter hates the Headmaster. His pride will not allow him to ask Dumbledore for help. It will be too difficult to kidnap him from his home. From what I have heard, the manor is well guarded. Moreover, I am well on the way to integrating myself in their group. They will not get suspicious if I ask Potter to accompany me out of the grounds. But I need time to make them trust me. I beg you, please give me time till Easter."

Voldemort considered for a moment. "Only till Easter then, my pet. If you don't manage to give me Harry Potter by then I will kill you. You _are_ dispensable after all."

"My lord is too kind." Murmured the figure, kissing the dark lord's robes reverently, determination burning sharply within.

 **So what do you think?**

 **Who do you think John Smith/Lord Ravenclaw actually is? Who is planning to give Harry to Voldemort?**

 **Do let me know your ideas! I would love to hear from you guys!**

 **Until next time (hopefully the wait should be shorter than this one!)**

 **booklover1004**


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: Same as Chapter 1**

 **Chapter 18**

 **Lord Ravenclaw**

The wind whipped against Remus' face like shards of glass as he ran through the forest.

"Avada Kedavra!" cackled a voice behind him gleefully. The curse missed him by a millimeter.

Mentally, Remus swore. It was a fully moon night and hence he was stuck as a werewolf. He could not really fight well in this form. Moony was all for upfront aggression while Remus was all for a more strategic approach. His leg was bleeding from where a silver dagger had been embedded in it. The dagger had not been an ordinary one – he realized belatedly. It was still embedded in his front leg and was slowly draining him of his magic. Remus was sure that there were runes embedded on it similar to the ones in the Egyptian pyramids which were used to sap the magic of the grave robbing wizards of old. Looks like the rumors of the Egyptian rune masters joining Voldemort were true after all.

He and two other wolves had been ambushed. In Serbia, the wolves were wilder than the rest of Europe. They had agreed to meet him only on the full moon when they would be in their 'true' forms – when the wolf and man were one and the same. Serbia had three main werewolf packs – two of which were rumored to be loyal to Voldemort. The third pack was neutral and hence open to talks with Remus. The meeting had begun well. The alpha of the pack, Aleksandar had been ready to agree to Remus' terms and conditions. They were tired of living in the wild, on the fringes of society. They were willing to support Harry against Voldemort if they would be allowed to move to Britain once the war was over.

Remus and Aleksandar were just about to make a wizard's oath combined with wolf magic to cement the alliance when all hell broke loose. About a dozen death eaters had converged upon them. They were outnumbered four is to one. Remus had gone to the meeting alone while Aleksandar had only brought his beta with him to the meeting. Kristoff had been the first to fall due to the killing curse.

Now it was only him and Aleksandar running through the forest.

"Come on now, mutt. You cannot run from us forever." Chuckled the wizard pursuing him.

Remus gritted his teeth and surged ahead. From the corner of his eye, he saw Aleksandar tilt his head to the right – a concealed path! Now if only he could make it there! Concealed paths were a rarity. Once any magical creature would enter its folds, it would automatically protect it from any human – wizard or muggle who would try to harm it by simply decapitating the human and making the creature seeking shelter invisible for a short while. It was one of the oldest creations of magic, one of those things that existed in order to maintain equilibrium between wizard and the wild.

It was only about twenty feet ahead. The path loomed up in front of Remus. He could see the trees that would obscure him and provide him shelter humming with protective magic. His front paws had just touched it when something hard hit him. The swooping sensation in his stomach told him that it was a portkey.

He landed face down on cold hard stone. Immediately, silver ropes bound his limbs. The smell of mildew and death permeated his nose. His ears could make out footsteps coming in his direction. The wolf's struggles became more frantic. The silver ropes cut through his hind limbs making him bleed. After a few seconds, Moony slumped. It was no use. He could feel his magic and strength draining with every passing second.

"It looks like you are in a spot of trouble, Lupin." Drawled a voice behind him. Lucius Malfoy stepped gleefully out of the shadows.

Moony bared his teeth and snarled. "That will not do you any good, mutt." Continued Malfoy, his voice smooth as silk, with an undercurrent of steel. "Look at you, on the floor tied up at the feet of your betters – just as it should be. You don't even have your wand with you. Pathetic. However, it is not like l can expect anything better from a blood traitor and halfbreed such as you. Consorting with mudbloods and blood traitors."

Moony lunged at the blonde, nearly taking off his hand. Malfoy's eyes narrowed to slits of molten silver.

"Very well. As this conversation is going nowhere – not that it could while you are in that savage form," his lip curled, "I might as well inform you of your fate. The Dark Lord has given you to me as a prisoner of war to do as I please with you. Consider it as compensation for that Greengrass slut having killed my sister-in-law. After having extracted as much information as I possibly can from you, you die. So Lupin, if I were you, I would start talking." The blonde chuckled lowly. "Not that you can talk much at the moment, but there is nothing like a little torture to loosen your tongue for tomorrow. You know, I am terribly interested in knowing whether the Cruciatus curse works as well on werewolves as on humans. I am sure you agree with me, from an academic point of view?"

Malfoy's eyes glittered coldly. Moony backed away towards the wall.

" _Crucio._ "

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With a swirl of robes, John Smith appeared in front of Lily, Sirius and Boris, his eyes gleaming. He seemed unfazed by the fact that the trio standing in front of him was holding their wands loosely in their hands while his was still tucked in his pocket.

"Lord Ravenclaw," said Lily cautiously. "I must admit that I was intrigued by your letter. We obviously appreciate the assistance you are offering us. However, before we proceed, there are a few questions I must ask you and request you to answer it honestly."

"No problem, my dear." Said John Smith with a slight smile. " You have shown an exceeding amount of trust in me by inviting me here. I suppose you must be having Veritaserum somewhere?"

"Not exactly." Said Sirius curtly. "We have a modified version. Lily created it. It does not force you to lose your inhibitions and answer every question put forward to you but it does make your hair turn pink if you answer untruthfully." He gave a slight smirk. The idea for the color change was all Sirius. He _was_ a Marauder at heart after all.

"Very well. I am willing to take it. However, you must promise not to harm me in any way until I have spoken my part."

"Fair enough." Answered Boris cautiously. He removed a vial from his robes. The potion was a glittering violet. "This vial should suffice for the next eight hours."

Looking them in the eye, Lord Ravenclaw downed the potion.

"Let us get seated." Said Lily, looking much relieved. She had been afraid that the wandmaker would refuse to take the potion. This made her job much easier.

They moved to the sitting room. The three swore a wizard's oath not to harm Lord Ravenclaw until the hour was up.

"The first question?" prompted the man sitting in front of the three of them.

"What is your real name?" asked Lily.

"Gellert Grindelwald." Said the man steadily. His hair remained grey.

Lily had turned pale. She gripped her wand tightly. There was an ex-Dark Lord in her house two feet away from her and her son was lying unconscious upstairs. This situation was too familiar to the one fifteen years ago.

Sirius was no better. His face was ashen. However, his eyes had a calculating look. Having been taught politics as a toddler, he knew that Grindelwald could not harm them in any way on this visit at the very least. However, the man had made them swear an oath in such a way that he was at their mercy once the hour was up. Not that it meant much, he thought wryly. The oath that Grindelwald had sworn did not prevent him from _defending_ himself after all.

"You are obviously speaking the truth, my lord." said Boris, after digesting the news. "However, I must know, if you are here in front of us, who is in your cell in Nurmengard?"

Gellert Grindelwald's lips tightened. "That would be my son Gerald."

"You have a son?" blurted out Sirius, flabbergasted.

"I do." Said the man in front of them, his grey eyes glittering. "I think it would be better if I started from the beginning. Many details of my supposed defeat by Albus Dumbledore have been misconstrued over the years. It is time for me to set the record straight.

It is true that I was expelled from Durmstrang a month before graduation for practicing dark magic – necromancy as a matter of fact. Although Durmstrang has a reputation for being a school of the Dark Arts even they have certain rules that have to be followed and I broke the most important one – never attempt a form of magic that your core is not compatible with."

Grindelwald sighed. "I was young and foolish. Necromancy was the only branch of dark magic I had not been able to pick up with ease as my magical core was incompatible with it. The magical backlash destroyed the entire west wing and twenty four students were severely injured. I, myself nearly died.

Although no one had died, one of the students injured was the daughter of the Bulgarian Minister of Magic. The political pressure was immense. Although Nadia – the Minister's daughter was adamant that it was an accident, most of Bulgaria was crying for my blood. Being a half blood did not help my case. So the Headmaster decided to 'expel' me. He told me to leave the very next day in order to avoid persecution. My wand was not snapped and I went to Godric's Hollow to live with my aunt."

"Bathilda Bagshot, right?" asked Lily.

"Indeed."

"Wait, I have a question." Interjected Sirius. "Why did the Headmaster offer you a way out? Why did he not bow to the political pressure?"

"Headmaster Krum was a fair man. He knew that it was an accident – albeit a severe one that had been caused by my own stupidity. I had broken a major rule of the Institute. However, I was not the first student to have done so. From the inception of Durmstrang, there have always been students who have had these magical accidents. That is why from 1803 there had been a rule that any practice of the Dark Arts should be supervised by a Professor.

Professor Dimitrof was the teacher of necromancy. The accident had occurred during his class itself. In fact, he had himself told me to try to call forth the spirits although I had told him of my incompatibility with the branch of magic. The accident that took place was as much his fault as my own. However, the Dimitrofs are an old pureblood family. It was much easier to shift the blame onto a young half blood who had no political support of any sort. Although Nadia protested greatly on my behalf, it was of no use. When I left Durmstrang she was the only one who was on my side. I respected her greatly for what she did."

"That sounds terribly unfair." Observed Boris.

Grindelwald shrugged. "It is not very much different today. Anyway, after I left Durmstrang I came to Godric's Hollow. I was terribly upset at that time. I had counted on getting a fairly decent post in the Ministry on the basis of my scores but the scandal had made it impossible for me to do so now.

In order to raise my spirits, my aunt Bathilda suggested that I should go and get acquainted with the Dumbledores. The two boys were around my age – the elder one fresh out of Hogwarts.

Albus was an exceptionally intelligent young man. He had a thirst for knowledge that rivaled my own. We soon became good friends and later on lovers. We invented many potions and spells that were borderline dark and which are used even today. Albus was very ambitious. He was even then obsessed with the idea of doing something that would make history remember us as the greatest wizards of our generation – if not all time. I too, followed him. I was bitter with the bigotry that existed in the wizarding world and was fascinated with the utopian concept of a world where equality for all witches and wizards was found – irrespective of their blood.

The only point we differed on was regarding our outlook of magical creatures. I wanted equal rights for everyone – centaurs, goblins and all other magical creatures. Albus was of the opinion that they did not have the capabilities to make their own decisions yet. Their independence was secondary – only once the equality of blood had been established. He told me that it was for the Greater Good. We argued over it many times. However, both of us were incredibly stubborn.

During one of our rambles, we came across the grave of Ignotus Peverell and that stoked our obsession to higher levels. Albus and I were certain that the Deathly Hallows actually existed. During my time in Durmstrang, rumors regarding the deathstick often cropped up from time to time. It was thought that the Elder wand was in possession of the Croatians – it was being researched in their Department of Wandlore. It hence made sense that the other two artifacts also existed. I wanted the resurrection stone in order to be able to contact spirts without the application of necromancy where I clearly had no talent. I wanted to see what was so very fascinating of being able to talk to them - call it academic curiosity. Albus wanted it in order to bring his parents back so that he would not have to be responsible for his siblings anymore. And as for the Invisibility Cloak – we could both see the use of such and object. Albus and I made plans to travel the world to search for them after Aberforth had graduated so that he could look after their sister in his place. I would have probably gone with him too, if I hadn't learnt the truth about Ariana.

However, before that, I must explain to you a bit about Aberforth.

Aberforth was a different story. Silent and reticent, it was obvious even to a relative stranger such as me that the two brothers did not get along. Initially I was of the opinion that Aberforth was merely jealous of the fact that his brother was a much better student and wizard than he would ever be. He tried his best to prevent Albus and me from becoming friends which further gave support to my idea. However, over time it became obvious that Aberforth was not jealous of Albus – he hated and feared him; not merely for himself but also for his sister. But he kept his distance and watched over us from afar. He was often curt with me and told me time and time again that everything and everyone that his brother took an interest in was immediately destroyed. I refused to believe him. For the first time in months I was finally happy. I did not want anything to ruin it.

The day I finally opened my eyes was when I learnt the whole story of what had happened to Ariana. During Albus' fourth year, Ariana Dumbledore was attacked by a group of muggle boys, who saw her performing magic and were frightened by what they saw. Ariana was left mentally and emotionally scarred by the event and her magical powers were left severely altered and would manifest themselves on rare occasions usually in random or destructive ways.

Albus' father, Percival Dumbledore, set out in search of his own brand of justice. He located the Muggle boys and attacked them, as they had his daughter. For this, he was sentenced to Azkaban where he later died, choosing the sentence over explaining why he had attacked the boys. Both the brothers disapproved of their father's actions. They felt that he had betrayed them by leaving them fatherless in his quest for revenge.

Albus could not accept that his sister was close to a squib or worse – was on the verge of becoming an Obscurial. He tried his best to put her in life threatening situations time and time again in the hope that her magic would manifest. However, it was of no use. Her magical outbursts just continued worsening. Aberforth would often make snide references to Albus' behavior in my hearing but I always chose to ignore him.

Over a period of time, Albus became careless. He slowly continued tormenting Ariana in order to force her magic to manifest. The day it reached a boiling point was when he threw Ariana off the second floor window in the hope that her magic would finally manifest itself."

"I think I am going to be sick." Choked Sirius, his face green.

Lily had her hands over her mouth in shock. Boris looked furious. His eyes were blazing.

"But why did Aberforth not tell you clearly that his sister was being slowly killed?" he demanded.

"Because Albus had bound him with an unbreakable vow." Said Grindelwald, his face twisting in utter loathing. "Oh, it was all very cleverly done. After Ariana's accident, Albus had comforted his distraught brother and promised him that he would do everything in his power in order to make Ariana better again. In return, Albus wanted Aberforth's word that he would not ever betray his brother the way their father had. Elphias Doge was their bonder. The wording employed was such that there was no way that Aberforth could himself interfere or explicitly communicate to anyone about Albus' methods regarding Ariana's 'treatment' unless the person himself was aware of it. Being just eleven Aberforth did not suspect anything until it was too late.

Anyway, the day of the incident, Albus had forgotten an important detail. I was due to meet him that afternoon. When I went to the cottage, only Aberforth was to be seen." Gellert's eyes glazed over. "Actually, it would be better if I showed it to you. _P_ _roject_ _M_ _onumentum_ _!"_

A silver wisp curled out of Grindelwald's temple before forming a flat screen. The trio leaned forward eagerly waiting to see what was happening.

 _"Where is Albus?" a young Gellert asked expectantly, ignoring the sullen face of the boy in front of him._

 _"With Ariana in the attic." Sneered Aberforth. "Go on, Gellert. Surprise him."_

 _The dark haired boy went up the stairs eagerly just in time to see Ariana being pushed out of the window by her elder brother._

 _"ARIANA!" Gellert rushed forward, shoving Albus out of the way hoping that he could save the girl who he considered as his younger sister. But he was too late. Her body lay on the ground, her neck broken._

 _"What is meaning of this Albus?" he whirled angrily to face his lover._

 _"I have no clue what you mean, Gellert." Said Albus staidly. "Poor Ariana was trying to climb the apple tree from the window. The branch snapped with her weight."_

 _"Don't lie to me, dammit! I saw you!" he snarled. "You pushed her out, didn't you? Why in Merlin's name would you do such a thing? What possessed you to murder your own sister?"_

 _Albus' face contorted with rage. "It was for the best. You have seen her, Gellert. She was no better than a squib! She was thirteen and cannot perform a simple levitation charm! And she was my sister! Oh, I tried. I tried so hard. I tried to drown her, burn her, injure her in the hope that her magic would rise to the surface but it was of no use. Ariana was useless to me. How could I ever have hoped to be the ruler of the magical world with a half crazed sister, a mediocre brother and a Muggle hater as a father? This was for the Greater Good. Please Gellert you must see. I had no choice. This was the only way." Albus was pleading by the end of it._

 _The door burst open startling the boys from the intense staring match._

 _"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?" raged Aberforth, tears running down his cheeks. "WHAT DID YOU DO ALBUS? YOU KILLED HER, DIDN'T YOU?"_

 _"Shut up, Aberforth." Snarled Albus. "Don't make me curse you."_

 _"I will kill you for what you have done. All those years keeping me under that fucking vow, being unable to tell the world how you were tormenting Ariana and being unable to protect her myself. You are dangerous, Albus. No – you are insane._ Avada Kedavra! _"_

 _The sickly green light of the killing curse sailed over Gellert's head. It missed Albus by a millimeter._

 _"_ Crucio _!" hissed Albus in rage and Aberforth's yells flooded the room._

 _"STOP!" yelled Gellert. He tackled Albus, sending them both sprawling onto the floor. "What is wrong with you? What are you doing?"_

 _"What needed to be done. Come on, Gellert, you know I am right. Let us leave. The Ministry will be here any minute to arrest Aberforth for having killed his sister." The fourteen year old was spasming on the floor._

 _"You son of a bitch! You are putting the blame on him? You are not going anywhere, Albus." He drew his wand. "I won't let you. I will duel you if need be."_

 _Albus' eyes hardened. "I wish it did not have to be this way. But you leave me no choice. I wish you had understood._ Stupefy! Petrificus Totalus! _"_

 _The second spell hit Gellert with full force. Albus had been sneaky. He had aimed the wand at Aberforth forcing Gellert to protect him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Albus approaching his brother._

 _"And as for you, Aberforth, you will remember nothing._ Obliviate! _"_

The screen disappeared like smoke. Gellert Grindelwald gazed at the three sitting in front of him.

"I did not have much of a choice after that. Albus modified his brother's memories so that it would seem that it was I who had killed Ariana. Due to the unbreakable vow still being in effect, Aberforth could not contradict his brother. Ultimately, it was Albus' word against mine. There was no competition. No one would believe the word of a Durmstrang-expelled half blood with a history of dark magic against an upstanding pureblooded Gryffindor who had been head boy. Luckily, Albus removed the curse in the hope that he would still be able to convince me. The moment the curse was lifted, I fled. I went to Slovenia. There, I was lucky enough to meet Mykew Gregorovich, the wand maker. I told him the whole story and he accepted me as his apprentice. It was he who gave me the identity of John Smith, the poor British orphan he had chanced upon on his travels. I fell in love with his daughter Andreja. We soon married and had Gerald.

But Albus was not done yet. He took on the persona of an agent of Gellert Grindelwald who was looking for wizards to join his master's cause. After recruiting dark witches and wizards throughout Italy and Germany under that persona –"

"Are you saying that _Dumbledore_ started the Second World War?" asked Lily incredulously.

"Of course not." Grindelwald waved his hand dismissively. "He just recruited them and asked him to attack as and when he would deem necessary. No one questioned him as 'Gellert Grindelwald's right hand man'. As far as them having to see me, Albus was smart enough to use glamours in order to impersonate me a few times a year in order to raise the troops morale.

He soon took away everything that I held dear. My marriage had infuriated him. Andreja was killed in a raid for the eradication of light magic while Gerald and I had gone to save Mykew from a raid at his shop. The three of us fled on hearing the news. We could not even give her a proper burial. We went to Croatia in order to let Gerald grow up. Then, in 1945 Dumbledore came to know our location through his network of spies. It was similar to what happened to the Potters, actually. Our secret keeper betrayed us. Nadia, the Bulgarian Minister's daughter who was supposedly my friend told Dumbledore where he could find us. However, she had never seen Gerald. She was not aware that I had a son.

Dumbledore challenged me to a wizard's duel. According to the terms that he had set, it was to be a fight until death in order to end this once and for all. I agreed. I was growing increasingly weary of living my life as a fugitive.

That was when I came to know something that my father-in-law had hidden from me all this while. He had the Deathstick in his possession. He was its master back then. He let me disarm him in order for the wand to recognize me as its master.

The duel was scheduled to be held on the 5th of August at Paris at midnight. However, when I reached there I soon realized that it had been a trap. I had walked into the French Ministry of Magic and was confronted with a squadron of Aurors. I apparated back to Croatia as soon as I could but I was too late. My house was in shambles. And there in chains I saw my son Gerald being taken away by a dozen Aurors. Dumbledore had defeated him in the supposed 'duel for death' and had shown 'mercy' buy not killing him but sending him to Nurmengard instead."

Gellert Grindlewald gave a bitter laugh. "No one was even bothered by the fact that the man they had captured was in his late thirties and not his sixties. Oh no! Apparently I had dabbled in dark rituals in order to maintain my youth with the sole purpose of seducing young witches and wizards to the dark side.

All these years I have watched from the shadows as Albus Dumbledore has spun his web of lies and deceit but no more. _Now I shall have my revenge._ " His hair remained grey. - just the way it had been at the start of the conversation.

 **So? Liked it? Hated it? Do let me know!**

 **I have taken a few liberties with canon to change the facts as I have seen fit. Hope you don't mind. I thought it made sense to give Grindelwald's side of the story first before we proceeded any further.**

 **Thank you all so much for all the support and encouragement you have given me over the past four months. You guys are amazing and inspire me to keep writing.**

 **Until next time**

 **booklover1004**


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: Same as Chapter 1**

 **Chapter 19**

 **Alliances, Separations and Hostilites**

 _Slytherin Manor, Wales_

Gellert Grindelwald stood at the foot of Harry's bed gazing at the unconscious boy. Liz, Lily, Sirius and Boris had all gathered in the room as well. A quick scan by Boris had revealed just what he had suspected – Harry's magic core was too unstable to support him at present. The spell that Voldemort had cast on him had brought the conflict between the Gryffindor and Slytherin family magics to the forefront and his core was unable to deal with the strain by itself. This was where Gellert could help him. Being an heir of the Founder's himself he could coax Harry's core to access the elemental magic that had been locked away for so long without being utilized. If Harry could embrace the conflicting magics as one, he had a chance of waking up.

"Can you help him?" asked Lily worriedly.

Gellert nodded absently. He could certainly help Harry but the final decision lay with the boy himself. If Harry would refuse to access his elemental powers despite all the help that was given, there would be no way out. In addition to that, a small part of his mind could not help wondering if the family totems of Gryffindor and Slytherin would agree to cooperate in the first place. The rivalry between the two Founders was legendary for a reason.

"I need to get into his mind in order to access his core." Said Gellert. "However, that might be difficult if he is well versed in Occlumency and hasn't lowered his shields. If his shields are very strong, his mind might not allow a foreign intrusion and might try to forcefully expel me out. Once expelled, I doubt I will be able to enter a second time. The initial boundaries of his mind will certainly recognize me a an intruder almost instantly."

"I don't think that will be a problem." Said Boris. "He is too weak to form any sort of defense against Legilimency. That was one of the main reasons why we were so eager to take him away from Hogwarts after the battle. We were worried that Dumbledore might undertake measures to get Harry under his control in his weakened state."

"Very well. I suppose that there should be no problem then. _Legilimens!_ "

When Gellert entered Harry's mind, he got the feeling of entering a whirlpool. Harry's mind was chaotic, to say the least. It was modeled using a maze made of hedges as a template – an excellent idea to organize one's mind under normal circumstances – perfect for hiding certain memories from outsiders. Now, however, the various hedges that made up the maze were in shambles. The leaves were all turning yellow and on the verge of falling off. There walls were not well trimmed and brambles and twigs littered the gravel path. Ignoring, all of that Gellert strode forward. Harry's core would be located right in the center of the maze. It was imperative that he find it. He just hoped that Harry's mind would not attack him.

Into the darkness he strode, the path in front of him twisting and turning from time to time. Suddenly, he saw a wisp of fog appear in front of him. Gellert stepped back warily. He had no clue what kind of defenses the boy had in his mind. It was better to be safe and try to circumvent them rather than meet them head on. The magical backlash could after all damage Harry's mind irreparably if an offensive spell was used.

The fog coalesced to take the form of Ariana Dumbledore.

"You could not save me!" she said accusingly, approaching him.

Two more figures approached him. Gerald and Andreja. They glared at him with hatred in their eyes.

"You are the one who is solely responsible for mother's death!" stated Gerald angrily. "You should have been killed instead of her."

"It was all your fault, Gellert. You trusted the wrong person. You as good as killed me yourself. It is thanks to you that our son was imprisoned. I should never have married you!" Andreja's warm blue eyes were frigid as ice.

" _Riddikulus!_ " said Gellert calmly. The fog disappeared into the darkness. He nodded approvingly. Putting a boggart-type illusion as protection for one's mind was no small feat. The mere fact that he had to encounter it meant that he was nearing the center of the maze. It seemed as though Harry's mind was making a last ditch stand to eliminate the outsider. He continued forwards as the path became narrower and narrower, until the walls of the maze were nearly obscuring the path altogether. Finally, he reached a point where he could go no further – unless he fancied being suffocated by the branches. It was as far as he could go.

Gellert Grindelwald drew his wand. _"_ _Ut de fructu lumbi se Ravenclaw domine ego voco super se reserare Conditorum magicae familia puerum, qui, quantum habueris relati. Ne illi sua reserare verus potentiale_ _!_ " (As the heir of Lady Ravenclaw herself, I call upon the magic of the Founders itself to unlock the family magics that this boy might possess. Let him unlock his true potential!) He chanted.

A bright light of blue and bronze left his wand, and streaked into the darkness. Almost instantly, two twin lights of red and gold and green and silver streaked back towards him in response. They stuttered to a stop in front of him and formed a lion and a snake respectively. The lion approached him until it was nose to nose with the wizard. It bared its teeth. Gellert did not dare blink. Family magics were terribly temperamental. Gryffindor and Slytherin more so than others.

You could not tame such magic.

You had to hope that it accepted you.

The snake coiled around his ankle, its jaws wide, ready to strike his ankle. Finally, after several minutes they stepped back, seemingly satisfied. Gellert relaxed marginally. It seemed that Gryffindor and Slytherin had decided he was not a threat – for now at the very least.

"Thank you, Heir of Ravenclaw," boomed two voices in sync. "You have done the Heir of Gryffindor and Slytherin a great service. For the past sixteen years we have been prevented from teaching him all that he needed to know about his powers. Now that you have unlocked us, we will be able to fulfil our duty. With both our powers put together the boy will have more protection than most."

"My lords," said Gellert cautiously, "I mean no disrespect. However, to my mind what you both want to achieve seems to be a very difficult if not impossible task. Fire and water are diametrically opposite to each other. In all my years I have not seen or read of anyone capable of handling two such powerful elements successfully at the same time. I cannot see any way in which Harry can wield both elements simultaneously."

The lion snarled, baring his teeth. The snake hissed threateningly. "Such insolence!" boomed the voices angrily. "Do you take us to be fools, Heir of Ravenclaw? We have considered this at great length for the past sixteen years. There are two heirs of Gryffindor and Slytherin, are there not? We will segregate our powers in such a way that each heir will get major control over one element and protection against the other element that he or she does not have full control over in order to compensate for the deficit."

The snake slithered up Gellert's arm – its fangs aimed threateningly at his jugular. Grindelwald went absolutely still. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the lion smirking.

"Consider this to be a warning." Said a gruff voice bemusedly. "The only reason we are sparing you is because you are one of the few who can teach our heirs all that they need to know. If you were less useful to us we would have destroyed you instantly, regardless of your heritage."

"Yessss. Next time we will not be sssso lenient. Now it isssss time for you to go back. The little lord has woken up." A forceful shove pushed Gellert out of Harry's mind. Harry's eyes flew open. On his left, Liz collapsed onto the floor with a groan.

hphphphp

 _Malfoy Manor, Wiltshire_

The cell was cold and dank. In one corner lay Remus; he was curled up in fetal position. The sun had finally risen and he was back to being a human. Every muscle and bone in his body screamed in pain. Lucius Malfoy was well known for his creativity with torture. He was not Voldemort's second in command for nothing. Remus had lost count of the number of bones that had been broken, the amount of flesh that had been burnt off from his wrists and ankles by silver bindings and the number of lashes he had received with a specially made silver whip. Not to mention the fact that the Cruciatus had been cast on him until he had lost consciousness more than a couple of times. Malfoy had also called the Lestrange brothers to 'help' him as the night wore on. They had been more than eager to join in the revelry. Malfoy had only given up after 'a mere four hours' as he needed to sleep. Four hours indeed. It had felt like eternity. Remus' voice was hoarse from screaming and his throat was raw. Having the Cruciatus curse cast by three people simultaneously would do that to a person.

Footsteps echoed on the stone floor. Remus gazed at the iron bars in front of him warily. If it was Lucius Malfoy again, he doubted he would survive the next round of torture that was sure to follow.

The face of Severus Snape loomed up in front of him. Remus' heart sank. The look in Snape's eyes was nothing less than triumphant. His mouth was curled into a twisted smile.

"I almost did not believe Lucius when he told me that you were in his dungeons, Lupin. Careless, were we?"

"Severus." Said Remus cautiously. "Why have you come here?"

"The Dark Lord has seen it fit to _gift_ you to me, wolf. After all, among all the Death Eaters, I have the most grievances against you. You did try to kill me in our sixth year, didn't you? Like the savage you are." his black eyes glittered with anger and malice.

"Are you here to help me or kill me?" asked Remus, wearily. He was not in the mood for games.

Snape chuckled darkly. "Since my time in Hogwarts I have dreamt of a moment like this for a long time. I loathed you and your _friends_. The way you all considered yourselves to be better than the rest of us. The way you got away with everything including the near murder of a fellow student. But I have never hated you all more than when you took away Lily from me." His voice was nothing more than a whisper by the end of his tirade.

"If we are going to be technical, none of us took Lily away from you. She fell in love with James and hence married him. And I doubt she would appreciate being treated as an object to be passed around from person to person."

Snape snarled. "Lily was mine! _I_ was the only one who had any claim on her! _I_ was the one she grew up with! _I_ was the one who loved her for years! James Potter had no right to her. And I would have succeeded in making her mine if I had not lost her friendship during our fifth year thanks to you!"

"I don't think that any of us forced you to call her a Mudblood, Snape."

Snape laughed bitterly. It was a crazed sound. "Lily was mine, only mine. I have already lost her twice – once to _Potter_ and once again when you and Black took her away from me sixteen years ago. The Dark Lord had promised to spare her that night for me. He only wanted to kill her brat and her husband. You both destroyed my plans that night by taking her away from England – just as her whelp did by not dying as he should have.

But now that she is here I will finally make her mine. I will kill Black after I finish killing you Lupin – like the vermin you both are. However, first I am going to make you suffer – both of you. I will make you feel the pain that I have felt for the past twenty years. Once you both are out of the picture, there is nothing to stop me from marrying Lily Evans."

"I doubt Dumbledore will be too happy with you if you kill me, Severus." Said Remus coolly. Internally, he knew what was going to come. Severus Snape loathed him – he had for many years. The hate that Snape had towards him had festered like an open wound – until it was the only thing the potion master could think about.

And now Snape had an opportunity to kill him.

Remus doubted that even a direct order from Dumbledore would prevent Snape from killing him. There was no way he was getting out of here alive. Malfoy and the Lestrange brothers had been unable to get any information out of him. As far as Voldemort was concerned, he was useless. His life was forfeit.

"This is a war, mongrel." Purred Severus triumphantly, drawing out his wand. "I am sure the headmaster will understand that certain sacrifices are necessary – in order to maintain my cover of course. I can't have the Dark Lord getting suspicious of me, can I? Though of course, I will absolutely _relish_ killing you. Not quickly and painlessly of course; the Killing curse is too good for the likes of half breeds like you. A slow and painful death is exactly what you deserve. I think I will start with one of my own inventions. _Sectumsempra_!"

Multiple gashes appeared all across Remus' torso. However, not a sound crossed his lips. He would _not_ give Severus Snape the satisfaction of watching him scream.

Snape cackled madly. He looked insane. "Heard of the phrase 'rubbing salt into ones wounds', mutt? Let us put it to practice, shall we?" From his robes, Snape extracted a small vial of white powder. "Do you recognize this wolf? This is sea salt. Let us see how well you hold up _now_."

Saying so, Snape strode forward and emptied the whole vial over Remus' bloody torso. Remus howled in agony. It felt like a thousand hot knives were stabbing him at once.

"Oh, I nearly forgot," said Snape casually, "the salt was soaked in a solution of silver and aconite to make its effect more _memorable_. A good idea, wasn't it?"

Remus spat at him. "Go to hell." He rasped.

"Tsk, tsk Lupin. Your temper will get you in trouble one of these days. _Crucio_!"

And so it went on the blood boiling, bone breaking and skin flaying curse were all used in quick succession by the potion master with a liberal sprinkling of the Cruciatus in between. And all the while more and more vials of aconite and molten silver were forced down Remus' throat until he was bleeding from his mouth due to their corrosive action on werewolves. His screams finally died down to nothingness.

Snape surveyed the damage before him with glee. The werewolf lay in a pool of his own blood, aconite and silver. There were gaping wounds all over his torso. His arms and legs were flayed and partly burnt. He gave a dark chuckle. It was a shame that he could not have some more fun with the wolf; however he had an Order meeting to attend. It was time to go and inform Dumbledore of the 'regretful' death of Remus Lupin. After all, the mongrel would be dead within the next hour for sure.

Snape left the putrid cellar with a spring in his step. At long last, he had finally got his revenge.

The minutes ticked by slowly. Remus lay, gasping for breath. It was getting impossible to breathe now. His vision was blurring. There was a ringing sensation in his ears. The faces of Sirius, Lily, Boris, Harry and little Liz – his family flashed through his mind. He would never get to see them again. But somehow, that would not be his only regret. He wished he had been braver. He wished he had told Ivana he loved her when he had the chance. Oh, he had thought about going back to meet her once the war was over however, now it was too late.

Suddenly, he heard footsteps approaching him again. He hoped it was not Snape or Malfoy who had come back to finish killing him. Someone was kneeling over him. Remus' eyes fluttered. The person had dark hair. He turned his head slightly. The arm gripping his shoulder had multiple cuts on them – the kind made by a knife. They formed a macabre criss cross pattern – like and intricate design. The person – a boy was saying something. Remus tried to concentrate but it was no use. He was only able to hear isolated phrases. His mind was unable to concentrate and the room was starting to spin.

" – should take you to safety – runes will not hold on for long – Daphne Greengrass, right? – tell Harry I am on his side – "

An object was thrown onto his chest. The tug in his navel told Remus it was a portkey. The cellar disappeared in a whirl of color and then, Remus knew no more.

hphphphp

 _Hogwarts, The Slytherin Common Room_

It had been a week. A whole week since the Battle of Hogsmeade. A week since Harry and Liz had left Hogwarts. The group sitting in front of the fireplace was lost in thought. Daphne, Astoria, Tracy, Blaise and Ginny were worried. None of them had received any news from the Potters. Of course, there were reasons for that. There was a high possibility of mail getting intercepted. Dumbledore or one of the other professors was not above scanning their mails for any news regarding the Boy-Who-Lived.

But Blaise was well aware that Sirius was ingenious enough to find a way of communication apart from letters if there was important news to be given. The fact that there was complete silence from the Potters was ominous to say the least. However, he did not tell the others of his suspicions. After all, there was no point in making them more worried than they already were.

The worst part of the whole debacle was that Draco Malfoy was back to being the unofficial King of Slytherin. Now that Liz and Harry were out of school, the rest of the Slytherins had flocked back to him out of fear of being ostracized. Over the past two days, Malfoy had been suspiciously triumphant and no one could determine the reason why. All that they knew was that an important prisoner was in custody in Malfoy Manor and Lucius Malfoy was having 'fun' with the said prisoner. Blaise shuddered to think what Lucius Malfoy's idea of 'fun' was.

However, that was not the reason the group was settled around the fireplace at three in the morning. They were going to set aside all these problems for now. The important thing was that Ginny was getting a new family today.

The fire flared, spitting out sparks. An owl appeared silently at the window.

"Right on time." Murmured Daphne.

"Father is nothing if not punctual." Said Tracy briskly, unlatching the window. The owl flew in and settled on her arm. It extended its foot, handing her a scroll. "Well, here it is Ginny," beamed Tracy. She showed her the parchment with a flourish. It read:

 _I, Matthew Davis hereby accept Ginevra No Name as my daughter by blood. My daughter Tracy Agnes Davis is henceforth her sister in blood. This I swear by magic as my witness. From this day and for ever more Ginevra No Name shall be known as Ginevra Davis. So mote be._

"Now all you need to do it put a drop of your blood on the parchment and the adoption will be complete. It will be valid since the entire document has been written by my father using a blood quill. With your blood being added to it, it will be equivalent to the both of you having given your consent." Smiled Tracy. "The record of the adoption will go straight to Gringotts."

"Are you absolutely certain?" asked Ginny, for the fiftieth time. "I mean it, Tracy. Your parents hardly know me. Moreover, I don't want to put you and your family in danger by accepting this. The Weasleys will not be happy with this. They will go straight to Dumbledore and Merlin knows what he might do."

"There is no danger of that." Said Astoria exasperatedly. "The Davis' are not a Noble or Ancient House. They are a minor one – no offense, Tracy. There is no chance of a blood feud developing with the Weasley's or Prewett's over this."

This was the main reason why only Matthew Davis could adopt Ginny. Once a person was disowned by their house, they could not be blood adopted by a House of the same or higher standing. It was one of the more obscure laws of the Wizengamot. This was because disowning someone was akin to ostracizing them from the wizarding world in general. It was usually done with the objective of forcing the person to leave the wizarding world and live as a muggle. Another house accepting the disowned wizard – especially a house with a seat on the Wizengamot meant that they were publically snubbing the Patriarch of the House that had disowned the wizard by overruling his decision. This would lead to the development of the blood feud between the Houses concerned.

The Houses of Weasley and Prewett were both Noble and Ancient and had a seat on the Wizengamot (although Dumbledore controlled it) as a result of which the Houses Potter, Black, Greengrass and Zabini were automatically ruled out due to their political power. This was a very cleverly made law made by pureblood supremists in order to force their heirs to follow their ideologies even if they did not want to. After all, most purebloods would not want to face the indignity of having to beg a minor house for asylum as most minor houses were considered to be 'magically and politically weak'.

This group of Slytherins however, took these ideas with a pinch of salt. Tracy was as powerful as any witch of her age could be and as for political power, having a seat on the Wizengamot was more of a curse than a blessing. The House of Davis was relatively new. It had come into being only ten generations ago and was hence considered to be a minor house. It did not even have a seat on the Wizengamot. Hence, there was nothing to prevent Ginny from becoming a Davis – especially since Ginny could not care less about what was considered politically correct thing to do.

"Astoria is absolutely correct, Ginny. We have gone over this at least ten times. I would love to have you as a sister and my parents would love to have a second daughter. My mother always rued the fact that she could not have a second child. She always wanted a large family."

"Enough with the self-sacrificing attitude already!" exclaimed Blaise. "Come on, Ginny do it. We have discussed it at length. Tracy and her parents are doing this because they _want_ to. Don't let your pride get in the way."

Ginny smiled wryly. "For being a bunch of big, bad Slytherins, we are sure acting like a group of first year Hufflepuffs. Alright, I will do it.

She took the ceremonial dagger offered to her by Tracy and cut her thumb. As the drop of blood fell on the parchment, Ginevra No Name became Ginevra Davis.

hphphphp

 _The Three Broomsticks, Hogsmeade Village_

"I am sorry Fleur but I can't do this anymore. We have discussed this several times." Protested Bill, running his hands through his hair agitatedly. This date was not going as he had planned. "You are blaming me for something that is beyond my control. It is not _my_ fault that your salary is half of the other trainees. It is the law as you very well know."

"Once again, Bill you misunderstand me." Said Fleur sharply. "It is not the fact that my salary is half of the others that bothers me. Hell, I would not care one jot if it had been cut due to some blunder of mine that had caused monetary losses to the bank. It is the fact that my salary is half _due to the fact that I am a veela and that you consider it to be perfectly alright_ that does. You don't seem to understand that the law that you are so vehemently supporting is racist and completely based on prejudice. It is pretty much implying that any magical creature such as a werewolf or veela is inferior to a wizard. _That_ is what is upsetting."

"It is not!" said Bill desperately. "Didn't you understand what I said? The law is actually beneficial for magical creatures. It allows their employment and prevents them from being a danger to society at the same time. Dumbledore himself had supported it in the Wizengamot."

"So just because your beloved Headmaster supports it, it becomes alright? I suppose then that if Dumbledore was to tell you to let a group of Death Eaters rob Gringotts in broad daylight that would be considered appropriate too? Just because _he_ said so?"

Bill's cheeks flushed angrily. "Don't speak about Dumbledore like that. You may not appreciate it but he is doing the best he can in the present political climate to look after our interests – all of our interests. He is the man who defeated Grindelwald after all. He is the leader of the Light. Besides, I don't see why you are getting so very worked up about this, Fleur. Anyway, it is not like you will be working in the bank for long."

"What do you mean by that, Bill Weasley?"

"Well, after we get married you will obviously remain at home, won't you? So anyway it is only a matter of the next four months."

"What makes you think I will do that?" hissed Fleur furiously. "I am not your mother, Bill. I am not going to be sitting at home like a good little wife keeping house for you my whole life. I did not get ten OWLS and seven NEWTS for that! Just because your mother did not have the necessary qualifications to get a job and got married right out of school does not mean that I am going to follow her footsteps."

"Leave my mother out of this!" shouted Bill. "She is a much better person than you! At least she understands what being a Weasley means. You don't even _try_ Fleur. You are perfectly content not embracing any of our family traditions! A traditional pureblood's wife sits at home and rears their children. How difficult is that for you to understand?"

"So that is what you want then? A brood mare? A trophy wife? Someone pretty to hang off your arm?" said Fleur scornfully.

Internally her heart was breaking. How had she not seen this before? Her fiancé was a chauvinistic pig who considered it normal for a quarter veela to be treated as a second class citizen – and he was supposedly a Light wizard! She shuddered to think what opinions the Dark wizards on Voldemort's side had regarding magical creatures if this was the opinion of a member of the 'right' side. She wished she had listened to her parents before moving to Britain. They had warned her that there was a great disparity between the magical world in France and Britain.

While the French were much more tolerant towards magical creatures and gave them equal opportunities, The British were much more prejudiced. She had noticed that in 1994 when she had come to Hogwarts for the Triwizard Tournament. There had not been a single student who was a magical creature. In Beauxbatons, there had been veelas, vampires, werewolves and elves among her classmates. However, being the naïve little girl she was, she had ignored it. And then she had met Bill.

Bill who was so very handsome and intelligent. Who seemed to be the only one who was not affected by her veela powers. The man who had begged her not to go back to France at the end of last year despite the fact that You-Know-Who was wreaking havoc in Britain. She had stayed back as he wanted to fight in the war that was going to come. Back then, she had been so proud of him, as she had thought that he was doing to 'right' thing. She had supported him completely. Hell, she was even willing to join him on the battlefield! Now, however, she wasn't so very sure. Dumbledore had politely told her that she could not join the Order as she might end up being a 'distraction' for the other members. Fleur had fumed at that. She wanted to be useful. Not sit around and look pretty.

However, after hearing from Bill how the Order worked, she was secretly glad she was not a part of it. All that they apparently did was sit around and concern themselves with petty issues of no significance. They had made close to no progress against You-Know-Who and if they caught any Death Eaters, they let them go the very next day! What kind of war effort was that? They had alienated the Minister of Magic instead of combining forces despite half of the Order members being workers in the Ministry – thus further sowing seeds of dissent and discord.

Her parents had written to her time and time again to come back to France. Her father was Undersecretary to the French Minister of Magic. He had warned her how volatile the political situation in Britain was. According to him, it was more dangerous than ever to be a magical creature in Britain who refused to live on the fringes of society.

She was homesick. She had not seen her family for close to a year. She missed little Gabriella. Whenever, she had brought up the topic with Bill, he had been strangely reluctant to accompany her back to France. He always had the same answer – that they would go after the war got over. So she had finally stopped asking. She would keep consoling herself with the fact that it was a small sacrifice to make for the man who loved her and appreciated her for herself.

However, over the past two months, once she had accepted his marriage proposal things had changed. Oh, they were small things initially. Snide little remarks about her veela inheritance, whether she was _absolutely sure_ that she wanted to work full time in Gringotts? Wouldn't she prefer staying with his mother and taking care of the wedding preparations? Wasn't she so _very fortunate_ to marry a British pureblood of an upstanding Light family? Fleur had scoffed at that. The Delacours were older than the Weasleys for Merlin's sake!

"There is no need for you to be so very upset about it! If anything you should be grateful to me." Laughed Bill arrogantly, breaking her out of her reverie. "With all due respect, Fleur you are a _quarter veela_. You are not even a complete witch. Despite your beauty, there is no way that any pureblood in Britain would have married you. At the most, someone would have kept you as their concubine. You are lucky that I love you so much that I have agreed to overlook your flaws and want to make you my wife. That too, against my mother's staunch opposition. She was not in favor of our marriage. She would have much preferred having me married to a British witch."

Fleur's face drained of color. "So you are doing me a _favor_ by marrying me, are you?" she stated calmly. Upon seeing her soon-to-be ex-fiancé nodding she continued; "Very well, Bill I release you from your _obligation_." Her eyes flashed angrily. "I would have returned you the engagement ring, but you never gave me one in the first place. You can tell your mother that she is free to marry you off to a _proper_ pureblood of her choice."

"Wait a minute now," blustered Bill. "You can't do that! You don't have the right to break off the engagement!"

"Oh I can and I just have!" spat Fleur. " _Good_ bye Bill. I hope I never see you again." With a swish of her skirts, she left the Three Broomsticks – not before lobbing a fireball at her ex-fiancé.

Quarter veela indeed. You were either a complete veela or nothing at all, thought Fleur rolling her eyes. It seemed as though British wizards were stupider than she had thought.

 **I hope that you guys are not too disappointed by Tracy's family adopting Ginny. Trust me, there is a reason for it. It will be explained later on in future chapters.**

 **Who do you think helped Remus in Malfoy Manor? Do tell me your ideas regarding that. I would love to hear from you.**

 **Until next time,**

 **booklover1004**

 **P.S. Happy birthday (in advance) Harry!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: Same as Chapter 1**

 **Chapter 20**

 **Recruitments, Remus and Rage**

 ** _Recap: Sirius had recruited Tonks to join Harry's side and installed her as a spy in the Order. Remus had been rescued from Malfoy Manor by a mysterious savior. Ivana Petrov, the Bulgarian werewolf had fallen in love with Remus when he had gone to visit the werewolf colonies in Bulgaria. Dumbledore had made Hermione join the Order and sign a document that would slowly transfer her magic to him._**

 _Zonko's Joke Shop, Hogsmeade_

The ringing of the shop bell signaled the arrival of a customer. Fred looked up in surprise. It had been a week since the attack on Hogsmeade and an atmosphere of mistrust and fear had permeated the little village. Business had slowed down drastically. It was to be expected, of course, but it did not prevent Fred from wanting to bang his head against a wall in boredom. After all, there was a limit to how many times a person could set a dozen nose biting tea cups on his twin without the said twin retaliating with a hail of dungbombs. Zonko had not been too happy with the loss in merchandise in addition to low sales.

His face broke into a grin upon seeing the person standing in front of him.

"Well, if it isn't my favorite auror! Hello Nymphie. What brings you to our humble establishment? Oi George, come out from the back you old fossil! Tonksie is here."

Tonks' hair flashed red. "Don't call me that!" she whined.

"Who are you calling an old fossil, you centenarian?" retorted George, coming out of the back. "Tonksie-poo!" he shouted gleefully engulfing the petite auror in a bear hug. "Now what is a nice girl like you doing in a disreputable establishment such as this?"

Tonks snorted. The twins were impossible. "Not more disreputable than Knockturn Alley now, is it?" she retorted.

"Now that my dear Nympahdora – "

"Is a matter of perspective –"

"And depends on – "

"What you would classify as –"

"Dangerous and sinister."

"If this wasn't so important, I would have cursed you by now," muttered Tonks, her hair turning traffic light red.

"Actually I am kind of surprised that you haven't done so already." Smirked George. "Do tell, my dear lady, what is so very important that you braved the crowds of Hogsmeade to speak to my devilishly handsome self and my considerably less handsome twin?"

" _Silencio!_ "snapped Tonks, seeing that Fred was about to retort. Both the twins fell thankfully silent. Honestly, once the twins started their banter they were pretty much unstoppable. Quickly, she cast a series of privacy wards on the shop.

"Now, you both will listen to me _quietly._ Please, just hear me out. I have a proposition for the both of you. Just – keep an open mind okay? It is about the war."

The twins nodded frantically pointing to their throats.

"Alright, I will take the spell off. But one more peep of twin speak out of you and the spell is back on, is that clear?"

"Crystal." Chorused the twins, once they had their voices back.

"Now, Nymphie, what is this about?" asked George. "If you are going to try to recruit us to join the Order, you are wasting both your time as well as ours. Our dear mother and the venerable Headmaster have both tried to do so and failed. We have already made it clear that we have no interest in joining the Order of the Fried Chicken."

"No, it is not about the Order." Said Tonks, shaking her head. She knew that Molly had as good as disowned her sons for 'not contributing to the war effort'. Cowards, she had called them. "There is a third side to the war now. I was hoping that you would consider joining it."

"Out of the goodness of our hearts?" asked Fred wryly. "And what do we get out of it, I would like to know?"

Internally, Fred was well aware of the fact that he was acting like a selfish bastard. However, by now he was past the point of caring. The war had disillusioned him. His mother's constant belittling of him and his twin, the blatant prejudice that his little sister had faced after getting sorted into Slytherin, Dumbledore's holier-than-thou attitude and Voldemort's ideas of mass genocide were enough to convince him to wash his hands off the war effort in general. Prejudice and racism were rampant on both sides of the war. There was no reason for him to believe that the so called third side would be any different. Hence, if was going to have to stick his neck out, he sure as hell wanted something in compensation for it.

"The money to start the joke shop you always wanted." Said Tonks bluntly. "One thousand galleons upfront, no questions asked and five hundred every two months until it is required for you to establish your business in exchange for being a silent partner holding one third of the company."

"We are listening." Said George, leaning forward. This sounded interesting to say the least. "Who is the leader of this fabled third side anyway? Another psychopath like Voldemort or an emotional blackmailer like Dumbledore? Also, how in Merlin's name do you even know about a third side? The last I heard from Bill, you were still in the Order."

Tonks smirked. "As a loyal sheep, no. As a spy, hell yes. As for the leader of the third side, does the name Sirius Black ring a bell?"

Identical grins appeared on the twins faces. They had heard enough rants regarding the infamous Lord Black from their mother – mostly as to how he and Lily Potter had managed to outwit Dumbledore. Anyone who managed to get Dumbledore to throw a temper tantrum was alright in their books.

"If we decide to join this third side, what exactly will it entail?" asked Fred cautiously.

"Nothing much." Shrugged Tonks, nonchalantly. "Keeping a ear to the ground as to what is going on in Hogsmeade and Hogwarts, killing Death Eaters and making sure they stay dead, an unbreakable vow of loyalty to Harry Potter and Sirius Black and oh – before I forget, making illegal portkeys as and when required – after all, from what I have heard, you both are professionals at that."

"How do you know about that?" demanded George, eyeing her suspiciously.

Tonks laughed. "Considering that an inordinate number of muggleborns seem to have found their way to France in the past year using portkeys made of Zonko's products, it wasn't too difficult to find the source. You were lucky that I was the auror assigned to the case. Someone like Proudfoot or Moody would have made life pretty difficult for you – probably would have insisted that you force the muggleborns to join the Order. Next time you try to do something like this, use unregistered wands from Knockturn Alley. They will muddy the magical signature of the person casting the spell."

The twins exchanged a look.

"We would like to meet Lord Black before we commit to anything." Said Fred finally. "I think that I speak on behalf of both of us when I say that we would like a clearer idea of what we are getting into."

"Very well." Sighed Tonks. Internally, she was impressed. The twins had been positively Slytherin in the way they had responded to her proposal. "I accept your condition. I will set up a meeting for you with Sirius next week. However, I will have to ask you both to swear an unbreakable vow agreeing to reveal nothing that I have told you to anyone else until the meeting next week."

"Not beyond that?" asked George shrewdly.

"No. Sirius will either make you swear a vow of loyalty if you agree to join or obliviate the both of you if you refuse."

"Charming," snorted Fred. "Though I must admire his thoroughness. And what if we refuse to swear the unbreakable vow to you right now?"

Tonks smiled sharply. "Kingsley is waiting just outside the shop, disillusioned. In case you both decide to give me any trouble, who do you think will win? A pair of pranksters, brilliant as they may be or a pair of aurors who are _very_ well versed with the Memory Charm?"

"You have a deal, Tonksie." Stated Fred. "There is just one small detail you have missed. You know how the muggleborns have been disappearing to France over the past year? We were not working alone in order to achieve that. We had help and we would be grateful if you would also recruit the person who helped us organize it."

"And who was that?"

"Fleur Delacour. Bill's fiancée." Chimed in George. "The woman is a genius at charms and warding. Honestly, Dumbledore was a first class fool to prevent her from joining the Order. She helped us overcome the immigration wards in both England and France. The muggleborns were transported directly to her parents' estate in Paris."

Tonks cocked an eyebrow in surprise. This was very interesting news. "Where can I find her?" she asked.

Fred grinned. "This seems to be your lucky day, dear Nymphadoodle," he proclaimed, looking outside the shop window. "She seems to be paying us a visit." Sure enough, an enraged Veela was striding up the street to Zonko's.

Tonks nearly jumped with joy at her good luck. This meeting had turned out to be much better than she hoped. She turned to the window in anticipation – not before turning the twins bald first, however. _No one_ teased her about her name and got away with it.

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 _Greengrass Manor, Kent_

When the wards of the manor blared signifying the arrival of an intruder on the grounds, Cygnus genuinely thought that Voldemort was attacking them. It made sense – considering that his daughter was engaged to the boy who had caused a considerable dent to the Dark Lord's forces – much more than what Dumbledore had achieved over the past three years. Nevertheless, he and Fiona went out of the Manor, wands drawn to face the threat. They had their pride after all. They were not going to give up Greengrass Manor without a fight. Looking back, Cygnus would blame his interaction with too many Gryffindors for his rash decision. Jumping headfirst into danger was not a Slytherin thing to do at all. Tactical retreat was more their forte.

The last thing the couple expected to see was the battered and broken body of Remus Lupin who seemed to be half dead in the woods surrounding the manor. Cygnus' heart twisted painfully upon seeing the condition of his old friend. He would have preferred dealing with death eaters.

"Oh Merlin!" gasped Fiona. "Tibby!"

A house elf appeared in front of them at once.

"Yes mistress?"

"Take Mr. Lupin to the Red Room immediately. As Gibby to bring a bezoar, seven blood replenishing potions and three pain relievers to the room. I will be there at once. Oh, and please try to see if there are any glamors or charms present on the body which may be used to hide a person's identity or the extent of his injuries."

Tibby bowed low, clutched Remus' arm and disappeared with a pop.

"Fiona! It could be a ruse!" hissed Cygnus, clutching her arm, an awful thought crossing his mind upon hearing his wife's words. "It might not be Remus himself."

"And if it is not?" demanded Fiona, her eyes blazing, striding towards the Manor determined. "Will you let an innocent man die due to your paranoia? In case you did not notice, I _did_ ask Tibby to check for any traces of concealment charms on his body."

Cygnus flushed red with embarrassment. "I – I am sorry. I didn't realize. But what if the man is not Remus but a death eater in disguise? He might very well kill Tibby and escape, or harm you physically."

Fiona smiled sharply. "Have you forgotten how the Red Room got its name dear husband? Cadmus Greengrass had imprisoned his daughter in it and infused the walls with magic suppression wards to prevent her from running away with a muggleborn. When she tried to break through them, she died painfully due to magical exhaustion, her blood painting the walls. Hence even if the man who claims to be Remus Lupin turns out to be an imposter, he will die for sure if he tries to use magic as the wards on the room are still active. As for harming me physically, Tibby and Gibby will surely protect me. You know that."

"And you can still use magic yourself as Lady of the Manor to heal him." Stated Cygnus, realization dawning in his eyes. "You are a genius!"

"I do try. Now let me go and help him." Said Fiona, standing on the threshold of the Red Room. "And you go and call Boris at once. I will need all the help I can get in order to save Remus. He was barely alive after all."

Entering the room she immediately cast a diagnostic charm on Remus' prone form.

Although Fiona was not a certified healer, she had developed a great interest in healing during the first War. It had been essential at the time in order to help friends like James who invariably ended up injured while on a raid for the Order and could not go to St Mungo's for maintaining the 'secrecy of the mission.' Now, after all these years, her skills would come in use once again.

"Magical exhaustion, prolonged exposure to the Cruciatus, corrosion of internal viscera due to silver and aconite, and twenty broken bones!" she muttered horrified. "Who did this to you?"

"The bezoar, Gibby, at once." She ordered. "Tibby, get four vials of the anti-Cruciatus potion immediately along two calming draughts." Remus had started convulsing violently by now. The cuts on his chest started bleeding violently. Fiona cast a stasis charm at once.

She set to work, her brow furrowed in concentration. The damage was worse than she had thought. She was unsure if Remus would make it.

"I called Boris." Announced Cygnus, striding into the room. "He will be arriving shortly, once he collects his supplies. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Help me heal the gashes on his chest. The blood replenisher will be of no use if he continues bleeding. _What_ is it, Tibby?" she asked impatiently, seeing that the house elf was trying to get her attention.

"Tibby found this on poor Mr. Lupin." Said the elf holding a framed picture aloft in her hand. "Where should I be keeping it, mistress? Tibby can feel the magic of a portkey coming from it."

"Keep it on the dresser for now." Said Fiona, glancing at the picture. She gasped.

"Impossible," she breathed. She leaned forward to take a closer look at it.

"Fiona! His pulse is slowing down!" snapped Cygnus, breaking her out of her trance.

Fiona Greengrass went back to attending to the dying man, her mind in a whirl. She could not get the picture out of her head – her two daughters arm in arm, laughing with a young man whom she had considered to be lost to her forever. Because, it made no sense. There was no reason for him to have kept that picture for all this time. He had not visited the Manor in the past three years even once.

'But if he used the picture as a portkey, he must have helped Remus escape.' Whispered a little voice in her head. Fiona shook her head sadly. The boy was a death eater, the last she had heard. There was no use thinking otherwise. However, that did not prevent the small seed of hopefulness from blooming in her chest. Maybe, just maybe, after all these years she would finally get her son back.

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 _The Werewolf Colony, Bulgaria_

"Still no improvement?" asked Alexandra, concerned.

"No, I still feel absolutely terrible." Croaked Ivana from her bed. She had been terribly weak and feverish for the past two months. It had developed slowly – nothing serious at first; just a general feeling of tiredness and listlessness but had now progressed to the extent that it was a herculean task for her to get out of bed each morning. In addition to that, she seemed to have contracted a stomach bug. She had been throwing up all day for the past two weeks. It was all terribly draining. She could barely stand on her two feet. She was off guard duty for now. The Alpha had not been too happy but had ordered her to take bed rest for the past week.

Ivana loathed it. She hated being so very weak. Being the second in command in a werewolf pack and that too as a woman was difficult enough. There were always some chauvinistic pricks trying to challenge her to a fight to establish their superiority over her. She had frantically tried to find a solution to her mysterious illness over the past month. Pepper up didn't work. Neither did calming draughts and stomach soothers. The medical scan last month did not reveal anything to be wrong with her.

Alexandra frowned. She was Ivana's best friend and had been her staunchest defender over the past month when some teenage wolves had tried to challenge her authority and Ivana had been too weak to fight them. Ivana would be forever grateful to her for that.

"The English werewolf was your mate, wasn't he? Why did you not tell him?"

"He was leaving for Serbia the next morning, Alex! What was I supposed to say? Hey! Sorry to spring this on you, but you are my mate and I can't let you go?"

"Well, you are suffering now because of it, aren't you?" retorted Alex. "The wolf in you wants to mate with him but can't because he is too far away. You are in physical pain thanks to it."

Ivana snorted. Alexandra was such a romantic sap at times. "You and I both know that that is impossible, Alex. _No one_ dies of a broken heart."

Ivana Petrov, don't you take that tone with me! The only reason that no wolf dies of a stretched bond is because the pair is usually not _stupid_ enough to try and stretch the bond to its very limit! You very well know that! Thank Merlin you did not consummate the bonding at least. Now _that_ would have been disastrous."

Ivana froze. "What do you mean by that?" she whispered.

"Well, that would have lead to the bonding, wouldn't it? Magic would have considered it as establishment of the union. And you know how newly bonded wolves are not supposed to be apart from their mates for too long. The baby needs to father's magic to develop after all."

"B-baby?"

Alexandra looked up. "Yes, the baby. The consummation of the bond usually results in pregnancy, you know that. Werewolves mate for life after all. Ivana? What's wrong. You look as though you have seen a ghost."

"No." whispered Ivana. "It can't be true. It is impossible."

"It is not." Said Alexandra puzzled. "It is what usually occurs in ninety percent of werewolf matings. What is wrong honey? You look distraught. Are you feeling unwell?"

"I fucked up Alex." Sobbed Ivana, burying her face in her hands. "I-we slept together before he left. I did not know that this could happen."

"How could you not?" demanded Alex aghast. "All young female wolves are taught this once they attain puberty! This is essentially taught to them as it is the female who suffers the major side effects of an uncompleted bonding."

Ivana smiled sadly. "I joined the pack when I was twenty, Alex. I was living in the wild by myself before that. My sire did not inform me of any of this and once I joined the pack, I suppose you all considered me to be well informed about it and so did not bother."

"Yes we did. You always were so very self-assured and confident. You seemed very well versed with the majority of the other traditions we keep. I thought you knew about this too."

"Well, I wasn't. I only knew how to fight as that was essential for my survival. The remaining social niceties I deemed to be unimportant and hence did not pay any attention to them. I wish I had though. I am paying for my ignorance now." She concluded wryly. Suddenly a thought struck her.

"Alex, does that mean that I am pregnant?" she asked in a small voice.

"I think so." responded her friend cautiously. "Would you like me to check it out for you?"

"Please. However, I think that you might be mistaken. After all, nothing showed up on the medical scan last month."

"That does not mean anything. The medical scan will only reveal a pregnancy well into the second month." Answered Alex, drawing her wand.

A pink glow lit up Ivana's stomach.

"Congratulations, it is a girl." Smiled Alex sadly.

"A-a girl?" whispered Ivana in wonder. She touched her stomach reverently.

"I will be having a daughter." Tears welled up in her eyes. "What am I going to do Alex? I can't do this alone, can I?"

"No, you can't. Your baby is feeding off your magic as of now to develop. That is why you are so weak. You need to find Lupin and explain the whole situation to him. You need his magic to maintain the bond and the life of your daughter."

"But I don't know where he is! He was supposed to be in Serbia two months ago but I have no idea as to where he is now. How do I contact him? Should I go to Britain?"

Alex paused. The political situation in Britain was volatile to say the least but the Ivana's condition was dire. "Yes." She said eventually. "I think that you should go to Britain. After all Lupin's friends live there, right? If anyone knows where he is, it will be them. Also, I know a Lord there who owes me a life debt. I will call upon it to make him help you."

"Alex, you can't do that!" exclaimed Ivana aghast. Life debts were very precious – especially for werewolves. Being shunned by most of society it was one of the few if not the only way to demand reparations in the form of respect or wealth in order to get integrated into society once more.

"I can and I will. You are like my sister Ivana. I am happy here in Bulgaria. I have my mate and my son. That is all I need. Moreover, I will not see you die due to this. I will contact the man right away. Now start packing. I will ask him to come to escort you tomorrow."

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 _Hogwarts, the Gryffindor Girls' Dormitory_

Hermione nearly screamed with frustration. What in Merlin and Morgana's name was wrong with her?

" _Accio! Accio! Accio_ dammit!" she chanted desperately. The book lay stubbornly on the dresser not moving an inch. "It is just a summoning charm. Why I am not able to handle it?" she muttered aghast. They were supposed to be progressing to non verbal spellcasting this year. Hermione had been sure that she would be able to master it in no time at all just how she had managed to overcome academic challenges of any kind over the past five years. However, it seemed as though she had been regressing over the past few months. She was unable to perform a simple fourth year spell. She was disgusted with herself.

Over the past month, her magic seemed to be steadily weakening. But that was ridiculous! Stuff like this was impossible. It was just so very incredibly frustrating. And to think that just last month she had been able to perform the levitation charm non verbally! After that one isolated triumph it had been steadily downhill from there. She had gone to Professor Flitwick last week to ask him as to how she could improve.

He had not taken it too seriously. Hermione had nearly screamed at him as he blathered on about how non verbal spells were tricky to perform and how some wizards just did not have an affinity for it and ultimately it _did not really matter too much._ The last part especially had made her turn white with rage. Ultimately, he had concluded by saying that she should stop trying so hard to make her magic obey her and should continue casting verbally for a while to give her magic some respite. Of course she had to try hard! There was so much that she needed to learn!

Classes were intolerable now. Nearly half of her classmates were able to cast non verbally and she, Hermione Granger, top of her class was unable to perform a simple fourth year spell _verbally_. It was unbearable.

Was it possible that someone had cursed her? Bound her magic so that she was unable to use it? She had read about such occurrences in the school library. The more she thought about it, the more she was convinced. Now there was only one thing left to figure out – who held a grudge against her?

There were a few possibilities for sure. Ron Weasley for one definitely did not like her – he had yet not got over her demonstrating the correct way of performing the levitation charm in their first charms class. That was so incredibly immature of him. But at the same time, he was way too stupid to come up with a plan such as this.

Then there was Susan Bones who had been annoyed with her for suggesting that she should have let Dumbledore handle her seat in the Wizengamot until she was of age. What was wrong in suggesting that? Honestly! People were so stupid at times. Dumbledore was a great man, the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot – much more knowledgeable than Frances Macmillan for sure who did not even bother joining the Order regardless of the fact that he had enough money to finance the war effort singlehandedly. Just last week, the Headmaster had been worried about the paucity of funds.

And then of course there was Daphne Greengrass. The girl had made no secret of her disdain for Hermione – probably worried that she would tell Harry Potter about the fact that his fiancée was actually dark. Hermione had tried to prevent Potter from going to Hogmeade on Halloween but the boy had foolishly ignored her; probably due to his fiancée's flirtations. And where had that got the poor boy? Unconscious and defenseless he had been spirited away to Merlin knows where by his treacherous mother.

The more Hermione thought about it, the more certain she was that it was Daphne who was responsible for her predicament. She was in Slytherin, her family was dark and firmly opposed Dumbledore and she hated Hermione for trying to sway her fiancé to the side of the Light. Moreover, she had become one of the best in the class as far as casting non verbal spells was concerned. It all fit. Now all that was left was for Hermione to confront her.

She glanced at her wrist watch. It was nearly time for breakfast. There was no time to lose. She had to meet Greengrass before classes started. Hermione could not imagine another day of being unable to cast magic properly. She would rather die.

Determinedly, the bushy haired Gryffindor strode towards the Great Hall. Luck seemed to be on her side. Right in front of her she saw the Greengrass siblings on their way to breakfast.

"Greengrass! Stop right there!" she commanded shrilly. As the blonde turned to her, the air of superiority fixed on her face, Hermione lost it.

"How dare you do this to me!" she raged angrily. "You bitch! You stole my magic from me, I know you did. Give it back, give it back dammit!" she clutched the blonde's robes tightly, shaking her. Oh, how she hated Daphne Greengrass. She had ruined everything.

A tight slap across her face made Hermione jerk back in surprise.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" demanded Tracy Davis, her eyes blazing. "Get a hold of yourself Granger. What do you mean by attacking the heiress of a Noble and Ancient House?"

"She-she stole my magic!" wailed Hermione. "Ask her to give it back."

"I assure you I have not done anything of that sort." Spat back Daphne, her eyes glittering coldly. "I don't know what is wrong with you Granger but I have no need for the magic of a fellow classmate when I have plenty of my own."

A crowd had gathered around the two girls by now. Students were whispering excitedly.

"You are lying, I tell you, you are lying!" shouted Hermione, lunging at Daphne once again. Oh, she could throttle the girl. She was so _angry_. Her magic was everything to her. She could not believe that it was just gone.

"Shut up Granger. You are making a scene." Snapped Dean Thomas as he dragged her away, with Weasley's help. The girl had become an embarrassment to Gryffindor over time. Initially, it had been not so bad with her getting points for answering correctly in class but over the years with her blatant prejudice against purebloods and her rigid belief that only _she_ was right had made most of her house turn against her.

Over the past month Granger's level of paranoia had increased exponentially. Dean may have been a muggleborn himself and be relatively unaware of how wizarding society worked, but even he had the sense to know that you don't level such harsh accusations against someone – a powerful pureblood at that without any proof. And it was obvious that Granger did not have a shred of evidence to support her case. Greengrass's surprise at Granger's attack on her had been too genuine to be faked.

"What is going on here?" demanded Professor Flitwick bursting onto the scene.

"Nothing Professor." Said Daphne smoothly, trying to salvage the situation. She may not like Hermione Granger but she could tell that something was wrong. Maybe the girl needed help. "Granger seems distraught. She was just going to the hospital wing for a calming draught."

"I was doing nothing of that sort." Interjected Hermione furiously. "Professor, she stole my magic! I know she has. Ask her to give it back!"

Flitwick frowned. "And what proof do you have of that, Miss Granger?"

"She is doing better than me in class! Her family is dark! She is in Slytherin! You don't need to look beyond that, do you?"

"For Merlin's sake, Granger!" snapped Daphne exasperated. "I do hereby swear on my magic that I have nothing to do with the loss of your magic or deterioration of your power while casting spells. Are you happy now? _Lumos_!" her wand lit up at once.

"She has to be lying, she must be!" babbled on Hermione.

"Miss Granger, enough!" commanded Flitwick angrily. "Your behavior is terribly unbecoming! Miss Greengrass has nothing to do with your problems. Now come with me to the hospital wing. You need a calming draught. I will ask Madam Pomfrey to check up on you to see if she can determine what is wrong with you. Now apologize to Miss Greengrass at once."

"I will do nothing of that sort!" proclaimed Hermione, shaking her head furiously.

"Detention, Miss Granger, for one week for attacking a fellow student and showing a prejudiced attitude." Frowned Flitwick.

"That is totally unfair!"

"Make that two weeks, with Filch." Growled Flitwick. What was wrong with the girl? She was ranting like a lunatic. Shaking his head sadly, he took the girl to the hospital wing. Maybe Madam Pomfrey would be able to find out what was wrong with her.

 **Hope you guys liked the Chapter! I know that there is not much about Harry in this one but I thought that it was important to give a perspective about what was going outside Slytherin Manor.**

 **Any ideas about Remus' mysterious savior? Just a hint, don't take everything that is written too literally ;)**

 **Until next time,**

 **booklover1004**


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